


Donquixote's Sanctuary

by Chenelle_SoLily



Category: One Piece
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, BDSM, Bondage, Bottom Roronoa Zoro, Forced Orgasm, Kidnapping, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Original Character(s), Rape, Rape Aftermath, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Violence, Uke Roronoa Zoro, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:01:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22337473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chenelle_SoLily/pseuds/Chenelle_SoLily
Summary: This is an alternative ending to the Dressrosa arc. Dofalmingo ends up escaping, defeating Luffy in the process. For revenge, Doflamingo takes a "prize", the Straw Hats' first mate, Roronoa Zoro.
Relationships: Donquixote Doflamingo/Roronoa Zoro
Comments: 36
Kudos: 204





	1. The Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Heavenly-Demon's Bargain](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4520298) by [Beware_The_Tristero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beware_The_Tristero/pseuds/Beware_The_Tristero). 



> This is my first story, so criticism is wanted. I rewrote some of the chapters, so if anything different, that's why :)
> 
> Warning: This will have sexual violence, so read at your own risk.
> 
> Also, this is heavily inspired by The Heavenly-Demon by Beware_The_Triste. I highly suggest you check it out, as it is way better than this crap.
> 
> Finally, I obviously don't own any of the characters or One Piece.

A loud slap echoed throughout the large room. Zoro groaned at the sharp pain on his cheek. Straining his neck to look around, he noticed he was lying on an oversized bed, in the middle of a dim room. Zoro's arms were bound above his head with steel rope, while his feet were tied to the end of the bedposts. A large figure stood over him, emitting an intimidating presence.

"Fuffuffuffuffu," the deep laugh reverberated insides Zoro's ear, "I see you're finally awake.”

"Welcome to my new home! Thanks to you and your friends, I had to relocate," the figure said sarcastically. 

Slowly readjusting to the darkness, Zoro’s eyes widened in shock as the face of Donquixote Doflamingo became clear. He tried to speak but no words could form.

"Fuffu," laughed the blonde again, "Cats got your tongue, eh?"

Zoro tried to speak once more, but just like before, only a string of incoherent mumbling emerged.

"There is this new drug that is quite a beauty," Doflamingo started, "It's a strong paralytic, making it not only impossible to move but quite hard to speak." 

Hearing this, Zoro attempted to move, but his body ignored his struggles.

The lanky man leaned over Zoro's frozen body, "Today I'll be gentle," he whispered in the swordsman's ear, "but don't expect that in the future".

Zoro's mind was racing with a myriad of questions, 'What am I doing here?' 'What did he mean gentle?' 'Is the rest of the crew okay?', but he could not utter a single one. He thought back to his last clear memory.

He was with Kin'emon and Kanjuro, attempting to push back the ever-closing birdcage. A large shadow cascaded over them. Zoro looked up, his eyes stared straight into the Heavenly Demons' sun-glassed covered eyes, there was a loud shout from Kin'emon before everything turned black. Everything else was a blur.

"You look rather confused," Doflamingo spoke in an amused voice, still leaning over the green hair's body, "Don't worry, my  _ prize _ , I'll explain everything to you… eventually."

His emphasis on 'prize' caused cold shivers down Zoro's spine. With his long tongue, the Shichibukai followed the ridge of the swordsman's scarred eye, down to the crevice of his neck. Zoro groaned, trying to push the large man away, but his body still refused to listen.

"That's a nice sound," said the demon, "I want more."

He led his tongue to the swordsman's ear, wiggling his long appendage inside the ear's slit. Although he tried to hold it back, a moan escaped Zoro's mouth.

"You like that, don't you?" Doflamingo whispered into his ear, sending a sharp cold sweat down the green hair's forehead.

His extended tongue intermingled with the three gold earrings on the swordsman's left ear, pulling on them with great force. Zoro’s body tensed in pain, wanting this to end. Doflamingo repositioned himself, now sitting just above the swordsman's pelvic region. The Heavenly Demon guided his large hands towards the collar of the young swordsman’s shirt. With one strong, fluid motion, the Shichibukai forced open the white dress shirt. Several of the buttons ripped off, clattering down onto the stone ground. Zoro tried to say 'stop', he tried to say 'no', he even tried to fight back, but his body stayed motionless.

Starting from the bottom, the blonde guided his tongue along the large scar across the swordsman's stomach, stopping when he reached near Zoro's dark nipple. The Shichibukai slowly placed his whole mouth around the swordsman's left pec. Starting gently and slowly, he swirled his tongue around the erect nipple, increasing in speed and strength.

Zoro bit his cheek, trying not to make any sounds. He hated that he felt pleasure. He just wanted to shut everything down until it was over.

Doflamingo bit hard on the swordsman's nipple, the metallic sting of blood flooded his mouth. Zoro grunted in pain.

Stopping the torture of the young swordsman's nipples, he grinned.

"That's more like it," he said in a menacing tone.

With one of his large hands, the demon forced his way into Zoro's pants. The other hand held the steel rope that bound the swordsman's wrists together. Doflamingo began to fondle Zoro's pulsing cock, causing a mixture of grunts and moans in reaction.

"Fuffuffuffu," the tall man laughed, "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Zoro couldn't control his bodily functions. As much as he hated it, his body loved it. The expert movements of Doflamingo's hand caused extreme pleasure inside the young swordsman.

"You're getting quite hard," examined the Shichibukai.

He began to stroke Zoro, in a soft, gentle manner. Zoro's body shivered, he couldn't hold back anymore. Moans escaped the swordsman's mouth. The demon fastened his pace, leading the swordsman to climax. Zoro let out a long loud moan. His body shook to its core as liquids escaped him. He panted hard, still not being able to move or talk.

"That was a little welcoming gift for you," Doflamingo spoke while getting off of Zoro, "Next time I won't be so nice."

He exited the room, leaving the swordsman in shame. 


	2. The Daily Ritual

Tight chains rubbed furiously along the swordsman’s wrists. The consistent irritation left his skin raw. His hands were tied behind his back while he laid nude on the large bed, backside facing the air. The side of his face was pushed into the soft bed, his vision blurred. The constant thrusting was rhythmic but fierce, similar to the rocking of a small boat in a rough storm. Large hands gripped tightly to his thin waist, severely bruising it. Doflamingo was knelt behind the young swordsman, jabbing his pulsating member inside of Zoro’s swollen cavity. A muted orchestra of moans and grunts came out of the two interlocking men.

This was a daily ritual for the two. The adolescent swordsman being forced into by the Heavenly Demon. Zoro was now somewhat used to the pain it caused him. Tears no longer filled his eyes, the number of sounds he made decreased, and his whole back area had become numb.

‘Only a little longer’ was all Zoro thought whenever he was being abused, and today was no different.

Doflamingo’s bulky cock pressed hard against the swordsman’s prostate, sending shivers down the two men’s spines. Zoro’s member was fully erect and dipping his liquids, now on the brink of release. The Shichibukai quickly moved one hand down to the swordsman’s penis. He gripped it hard, preventing Zoro from reaching a climax. 

“Not yet,” he spoke with a harsh tone, his extensive tongue flicking the roof of his mouth, “You have to please me first.”

Doflamingo thrust deeper inside the swordsman. Zoro’s hands clenched into fists, his fingernails digging sharply into his palm. Blood pooled from the wounds. The Shichibukai’s speed increased, each thrust harder than the last. Sweat dribbled down his forehead, falling onto the swordsman’s arched back. With one last solid push, juices erupted out of Doflamingo’s shaft. The large man’s body shuddered at climax, releasing a loud groan from his mouth. The warm liquid quickly filled Zoro. Still clenching the swordsman’s cock, he pulled out, causing the sticky fluid to escape. Zoro shivered at the unexpected discharge. Both men stayed in place, panting heavily.

After a lengthy pause, the blonde man spoke, “You can finish yourself off.”

With this, he pushed himself off of the swordsman, pulled up his pants, and threw on his feathered coat. He began to head out the door before stopping.

“You did well today, good job,” He spoke with a grin.

He left the room with Zoro still chained and erect. A man dressed in black entered the gloomy room. He removed the chains bounding Zoro’s hands and led the adolescent swordsman to a large bathroom. 

“You know the drill, you have 15 minutes to clean yourself,” The man spoke in a monotone voice.  
“Whatever,” Zoro muttered back.

The guard shut the door and with a loud click, it locked. Zoro turned away from it, causing him to glimpse himself in the mirror. 

Every day he saw his reflection, but today he saw how different he truly looked. The ghostly figure that stood before him was shocking. His grey eyes studied the unearthly figure closely. Its faded skin was a fresh blanket of snow that contrasted with dark bruises and cuts that littered its being. Its body was a stick on a boney tree, barely getting enough nutrients to survive. Its sunken eyes had no life in them. Unkempt grass-like hair laid on the top of the head, falling down to its shoulders. Zoro stared at this decrepit figure for what felt like years. He knew it was his body, but yet he could not recognize it as his own. Seeing himself so weak and pitiful boiled anger inside the young swordsman. With a deafening shout that reverberated deep inside his body, he punched the mirror with all of his remaining strength. The mirror dispersed into several pieces, along with Zoro’s anger and any leftover arousal. 

“What the hell is going on in there?!” shouted the guard.

“Nothing,” replied the swordsman.

“Whatever, but you better hurry,” spoke the guard with an aggressive tone, “You only have 10 minutes left.”

Zoro turned towards the corner of the room and entered the large shower. He rotated the protruded faucet and let the icy water envelop him. The cool water felt orgasmic to the swordsman. It trickled down his body, washing away blood, sweat, and other bodily fluids. Taking a shower was what Zoro looked most forward to every day. It was the only thing that allowed the young swordsman to be truly alone, away from his captor, and away from his pain. After a few minutes of washing himself, he turned off the faucet, stopping the flow of the euphoric liquid. He wrapped himself in a towel that was laid out nearby. 

“Time’s up,” spoke the man outside the door.

“I’m done, anyway,” Zoro responded.

“Come on and get outta there.”

The man unlocked the door and Zoro exited the bathroom, only covered with a towel. He was handed a mostly transparent robe.

“Put this on, you will have lunch with the family.” 

“Fine.”

“You should be more grateful, not just anyone eats with them.”

When the man turned to close the bathroom door, he saw the broken mirror shards that littered the ground.

“Oi! What the hell is this?”

“What does it look like?” Zoro responded mockingly. 

“You don’t have to be such a smart ass. The young master is going to be pissed when he sees this.”

“So what? Let him get pissed.”

“That attitude will get you killed,” The man said before exiting the room, giving Zoro privacy to change. 

Zoro put on the translucent red robe. It draped over his thin body, clinging around his legs. It was only opaque around his pelvic region. Once dressed, he left the room. The henchman, who waited for Zoro, handed him a red ribbon.

“Here, tie up your hair.”

Zoro obliged, tying up his shoulder-length hair into a ponytail. 

“Ha, you look like a woman,” the guard joked.

Zoro ignored his comment and began to walk down the hall. 

“Oi, wait, where do you think you’re going without this.”

The guard flashed a leash and collar. Zoro let out a sigh. 

“Fine, put it on,” the swordsman said.

Locking the black collar around the swordsman’s neck, the guard took the leash and headed towards a rectangular room. Arched windows allowed the room to be filled with warm sunlight. The floors were made from great oak planks. Around a large rectangular wooden table sat the Donquixote pirates. Doflamingo sat at the head in a grandiose chair. The man handed the leash to the Shichibukai, bowed to his master, and left the room. Zoro knelt on a small cushion that laid next to the large chair, as he did every day.


	3. The Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Twirly Hat crew, led by Sanji, escaped Big Mom's singing pirate ship. They reunited with Luffy's team on Zou and now are on the search for their missing mate. (This will be relevant later in the chapter)

“Hey! Hey! Hey! Doffy, I heard that Kaido finally calmed down,” Trebol pestered with his irritating voice. 

Snot dripped from his nose, his body cloaked in mucus, his appearance more disheveled than usual. 

“Of course he has,” responded Gladius, “The young master is too important for Kaido to stay angry.” 

“I wasn’t talking to you!” Trebol snapped back. 

“Shut up!” An irritated Doflamingo interrupted, causing the two arguing parties to jump. “Kaido  _ graciously _ gave me a second chance. Using our before gained knowledge of SAD, we can create another smile factory quickly,” his tone somewhat sarcastic.

“I still can’t believe all of our hard work has gone to waste,” Trebol moaned.

“Yea, and not all of us escaped from the Marines after our embarrassing defeat,” Gladius added with disappointment.

“Screw those straw hats, once I reheal, I’m going to destroy them myself!” Squeaked Pica from across the table. 

An instinctive laugh burst out of Zoro’s mouth. 

“You really think that someone as weak as  _ you _ can defeat my crew by yourself?” He asked in a smug tone.

Dellinger, who just entered the lively room, smacked Zoro in the back of the head. His body propelled into the floor.

“Who gave you permission to speak  _ pet _ ?” He uttered with a demeaning emphasis on pet. 

“Hmm, is it trust or stupidity that allows you to still believe in a crew of failures?” Gladius asked.

“Definitely stupidity,” Giolla answered uninvited.

Dillenger took his usual seat next to Giolla. His body still cloaked with bandages from his fight the previous month. 

“Speaking of those Straw Hats, when are we going after them?” His question directed towards the lanky man perched at the head of the table.

“All in due time,” Doflamingo responded to the juvenile fishman.

After recuperating, Zoro knelt back onto his cushion. He rubbed the bulbous bump that grew on the back of his green head. 

Doflamingo scrapped his leftover meal into a small dog bowl that rested next to Zoro’s cushion. The meager scraps of meat and vegetables were blended with the rest of the Shichibukai’s red wine. The bowl sat full with a liquidy mush. He tugged the leash that was connected to Zoro’s neck.

“Here’s your meal pet, eat,” he spoke with his rumbling voice.

Zoro gave a quick glare to the intimidating man. Knowing that he had to listen to the demeaning order, the swordsman slowly got onto his hands and knees. The fine robe slipped down his right shoulder, exposing his bruised breasts. With his head bent down to the bowl’s level, the swordsman licked the gross mush. It’s soft texture shifted uncomfortably along the back of his throat, causing him to audibly gag. 

A calloused hand connected with the back of the swordsman’s head. 

“Don’t disrespect my fine cooking,” his captor articulated with a sarcastic pitch. 

He violently shoved the battered head into the bowl. Mush splattered across the floor. Laughter bounced off the walls of the large room. 

“Fuffuffuffu, you’re so clumsy,” Doflamingo laughed, “Make sure you clean every last drop you spilled.”

A dazed Zoro straightened up after the assault and repositioned himself onto the pillow. His sudden movements caused the sheer robe to shift off even more, now fully exposing his pale chest. The deplorable mixture slowly dripped off his face and onto his body, the sour smell filling his nostrils. His cold eyes angrily glared up at the head of the table. After taking a moment to recover, he hesitantly began to lick the glop that coated the wood flooring. More laughter echoed from the party.

“He really is just like an animal!” squealed Dillenger with excitement.

“And he’s a well-trained one too!” joked Giolla.

Ignoring their comments, the swordsman continued to wash the remainder of the virulent blend. Dirt from the floor mixed in with the already foul mush. The toxic flavor burned Zoro’s tongue. Before he could finish, a sharp jerk from his leash dragged him away from the ground.

“Let’s go.”

The swordsman stumbled to his feet, readjusting the robe so it arranged properly along his fragile body. He shadowed the towering man out of the dining room, following his steps closely. The drumming of their feet echoed throughout the never-ending corridor. Dreadful darkness permeated throughout the hallway, warning of the uncertainty that laid ahead. They briskly walked past several dimmed doors that hid unknowns from the world. 

The two men reached the largest pair of doors at the end of the hall. The looming entrance protected the Shichibukai’s chambers, caging it to prevent any unwanted visitors. Doflamingo quickly entered, but Zoro stood before the inferno that awaited him, hesitant to enter. His leash was forcefully tugged on, pulling the young man into the sinister room. A sullen sense of dread washed over him as the damp air entered his lungs. The Heavenly Demon faced the swordsman, his covered eyes staring intensely into the opposites’ barren eyes. He tenderly caressed the check of his captive, leading to a light peck on his forehead.

“Fuffuffu, that was a good show you put on,” the Shichibukai began, “I’m in a good mood now, so I’ll let you relax.”

He guided the young man toward a decorated corner of the room. Colorful sheets draped from the ceiling, forming a small canopy-like structure. Painted pillows strung across the floor, creating a small square border. Connected to the stone wall was an elongated chain. 

Doflamingo removed Zoro’s leash and attached the chain to the strangling collar, giving the swordsman more room to move. Zoro laid comfortably down on the pillows, filled with reluctant joy that he might finally get a break. The blonde threw a rag at the swordsman.

“Clean yourself up.”

He left the corner of the bedroom, headed towards the joining bathroom.

From the crack in the bathroom door, shards of glass reflected rays of light into Doflamingo’s stern face. His pace quickened towards the bathroom. Upon seeing the broken mirror littered across the ground, rage boiled inside of him. He picked up a shard, inspecting it closely. 

“What the hell is this!?” he practically yelled, filled with ferocity.

Zoro’s heart skipped a beat, knowing exactly what he was talking about. During the shameful meal, Zoro’s impulsive action completely escaped his mind. 

“W-what are you talking about?” the swordsman barely stumbled out with a softened voice. Sweat began to pour from his forehead. 

“You know  _ exactly _ what I’m talking about.” 

The demon began to walk towards the apprehensive swordsman. The loud thumps of the ever closing footsteps resonated with Zoro’s heart. With trembling legs, he began to stand up.

“I have n-” 

He was interrupted by the large man grappling onto his green hair, yanking him up above the ground. The red ribbon, that held his hair up, fluttered to the ground. Zoro’s scalp burned with his entire weight pulling on it. Sharp nails dug into his head. Scorching breaths from the large man repeatedly brushed against his cold ear.

“Explain to me exactly what this is,” the Shichibukai said, shoving the mirror shard in front of Zoro’s face. 

The green-haired took a deep breath, gaining back his unexpectedly lost composure. He gave his usual cocky grin. 

“It’s a shard of the mirror that  _ I _ broke.” 

“Fufufufu,” the Shichibukai’s intense laughter echoed throughout the room, “I thought that you were  _ finally _ learning some manners, but then you do this  _ shit _ .” 

The back of his hand slammed against Zoro’s right cheek. The swordsman flew out of Doflamingo’s grasp, hairs ripped from his scalp. His momentum dragged him against the floor, only to be stopped by his chain’s yank. 

“Uggggh,” the pain-filled groan escaped from the swordsman’s mouth.

He wavered to his feet, rubbing his numb cheek. Thick blood dripped from his scalp onto his face. His brain racked around his head from the impact. The spinning world made it difficult for the swordsman to focus. 

_ Clack. Clack. Clack. _

The black soles of the blonde’s shoes cried. Zoro stared at the ever closing demon’s blurry figure.

_ Clack. Clack. Clack. _

The sound continued as it approached closer. 

Zoro clenched his mouth as the grotesque vibrations reached him. It reverberated in his ears, then his head, and eventually his entire body internalized the awful noise. To Zoro, there was no sound as wretched as the approaching one. The foreboding noise stopped as darkness enshrouded the young swordsman. He stared up at the overpowering demonic figure, frozen with fear. Sticky cold sweat formed all over his body. The room was quickly filled with complete silence. The soul-sucking stillness was almost as painful as the footsteps. Only the breath of the two men could be heard. Time itself stopped for the young swordsman. 

_ Clank!  _

The loud noise shattered the deafening silence. 

The collar, along with the chain, laid on the floor forming the figure of a snake. 

Pain erupted from Zoro’s scalp as his captor gripped him again by his shaggy hair. He was dragged towards the bed. Zoro thrashed around, trying to wrangle out of the grasp, but his struggles created even more injury.

Once standing before the bed, the demon stopped walking. Without a word, Zoro was slammed onto the bed. The impact stole the air from the swordsman’s lungs. Doflamingo rummaged through a near-by bedside table. He pulled out a deep scarlet rag. He stood above Zoro, forcing the rag into his mouth, tying it tightly behind his head. With breaths now muffled, the swordsman attempted to dash off the bed. Before he could get far, his body stopped.

His appendages moved on their own. His arms forcibly raised themselves above his head, muscles trembling as he tried to fight off each action. His feet moved towards the bed. The only thing he had control of was his muffled grunts. 

The Heavenly Demon threw his feathered cloak onto the floor. His shoes were forced off, hitting the ground with an echoing thump.

Zoro’s body moved onto the bed. Laying on its back, it’s legs straightened forward. Its arms stayed above its head, leaving the swordsman open. The sheer robe rode down his body, exposing his damaged chest. Zoro buried his face into the side of his arm, afraid to face his captor.

Doflamingo crawled above the young man, his calm demeanor striking fear in his captive. His hands laid above the young man’s shoulders, his legs trapping Zoro’s. Still grasping the broken mirror shard, the Shichibukai lightly danced it along the swordsman’s exposed chest, following along the crest of his stomach. Slight movements reddened Zoro’s skin, purposefully not breaking it. As the shard drew closer to the swordsman’s face, the Heavenly Demon added more pressure. When it reached the top of his rib, thick blood began to draw.

“Mffgggh,” Zoro painfully groaned.

His muffled sounds caused the Shichibukai to push down harder. The shard ended its slow course right below the collar bone, leaving a deep cut in its track. Zoro’s face twisted with pain. Dark liquid quickly flooded the swordsman’s chest, dripping excess onto the bed. The sharp metallic smell of blood, along with salty sweat, penetrated the still air. Loud groans rumbled through the room. 

“Fuffuffu,” Doflamingo pleasure-filled laugh found its way out, the noise sounding joyful as if the young man’s painful cries gratified him, “That’s a gorgeous face you’re making.”

As if he couldn’t control the impulse, the blonde leaned down. He used his lengthy tongue to clean the syrupy sweat that trickled along Zoro’s prominent cheekbone. The young swordsman winced as the flickering wet appendage found its way near his eye. The movements suddenly stopped. With bright eyes, the captor sat straight up. A malicious smile struck across his face.

“Fuffuffuffu, let’s make this more fun.”

He left the room, coming back moments later with his string body double. The body double’s realistic movements made it identical to its master. The only difference was that it still donned its pink feathered coat. It moved toward the bottom of Zoro, while the Shichibukai made his way to the swordsman’s head. With the slight movements of Doflamingo’s hands, Zoro’s legs raised, bending at the knee. His thick member now fully exposed. The double securely placed its string hands on the swordsman’s thigh. Its pants dropped down to its knees as it leaned down. Zoro’s eyes widened as a rageful erect cock revealed itself. 

“This body double is identical to me in  _ every _ way,” humored the real Doflamingo.

Kneeling above the young swordsman, the real Shichibukai unbuttoned his pants, allowing his raised mass to dangle above Zoro’s face. He tore off the rag that gagged the swordsman and forced him to make eye contact. Zoro was able to take one quick refreshing breath before his captor’s cock was stuffed into his mouth. 

Luscious warmth from the fleshy cavern sent shivers down Doflamingo’s spine. The swordsman’s small tight lips secured the large leaking member. Sticky saliva created a bridge between the two men as the blonde pulled out, collapsing when he forced himself back in. 

“You better not bite or you’re going to feel true hell,” the captor scowled. 

Simultaneously, the double inserted swiftly into the bruised hole. Obstructed noises burst from Zoro. Tears formed in the swordsman’s eyes. 

The two Heavenly Demons pounded into Zoro with a rhythmic tempo. One constantly pounding his gag reflex, the other pounding his prostate. Each movement sent piercing pain throughout his body. Creaks from the wooden bed frame could be heard from the hall. Blood excessively poured from the swordsman’s cut, and more poured from his violated cavity. Zoro wriggled in discomfort, but his motions just caused him more anguish. 

The prodding from the string body double was a strange sensation to the young swordsman. It wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t warm. The fake appendage had a soft texture to it, but the voracity and strength of the attacks contrasted with it. He didn’t know if he preferred it over the real demon, but he did know that it was as expert as its master. Continuously, it skillfully struck Zoro’s prostate. Each time producing a pleasurable moan from the swordsman. 

Zoro’s veiny cock was fully erect. Throbbing to be released. His frozen hands twitched, wanting to finish himself off. 

Doflamingo let out a long moan, as his white load swiftly filled the swordsman’s mouth. He pulled out, allowing Zoro to swallow. He ingested it with one large gulp, knowing he would be punished if he didn’t. The Heavenly Demon moved down Zoro’s body, ending his trek once he knelt next to the body double. He let out another sadistic smirk.

“No don’t!” Zoro practically shouted in realization.

Doflamingo chuckled before forcing himself into the already filled hole. Indescribable torment filled Zoro.

“S-stop,” he whimpered.

“Fuffuffuffu, where did that cocky attitude from earlier go?” His captor laughed.

Zoro’s eyes, blurred from the loss of blood, poured tears. The clear droplets fell from his face, occasionally dripping onto his sore lips. The flavor of salt rolled on his tongue and permeated throughout his mouth. Zoro focused on the pungent flavor, trying to ignore the rigorous pain.

Agony was his body. To his blood-covered chest, from his swollen mouth to his continuously battered hole, everything was painted with a layer of torment. 

The two Heavenly Demons continued their dance. Their duet stayed harmonious. Symphonic noises originated from Doflamingo, while his partner kept his serene silence. The song’s tempo quickened as it reached its peak. The crescendo of the melody began, from mezzo-piano to forte leading to the much anticipated climactic fortissimo. After release, the song hit a ritardando, slowing it down to a tranquil conclusion. 

The two invaders pulled out of the young swordsman, leaving a trail of fluids. Zoro could no longer think. The world spun around him, slowly darkening. His brain faded in and out of consciousness until his vision completely blackened. 

\---

Tired eyes, scanning the endless blue horizon, were shaded from the intense sun by a frayed straw hat. Sandals clopped as the young man patrolled the somber wooden ship. Every step felt heavy on the black-haired teen. Tiredness and stress weighed wearily down on him. 

“Oi! Food’s ready!” shouted a blonde man entering the courtyard with a plate in his hands. His obscure twirled eyebrows protruded from the slight part in his smooth hair. His clear blue eyes glistened in the illuminating sun. 

“I’m not hungry,” the Straw Hat monotonously responded.

“Luffy, don’t be like this,” began the twirly eyebrow with concern, “You need to eat.”

“How can I eat if I don’t even know if Zoro’s okay!?” Luffy shouted back.

“That has nothing to do with you eating or not! How can we find him if our captain is not in his best shape!?” Sanji yelled in retaliation.

“Be quiet!” interrupted the busty ginger sun-tanning on the deck, her attention still focused on the newspaper she held in her petite hands, “I swear you have this argument every day.” 

“Sorry, Nami-swan!” Sanji spoke while rushing to her side like a bee rushing to its queen. “It’s just that our captain has a thick skull.”

“I told you to shut up!” she yelled while slamming the paper onto the cook’s head. He hit the ground hard. Nami stood up and walked to her captain’s side, placing the meat-filled plate into his hands.

“Luffy, you gotta eat.”

“Bu-.”

“No buts! We need you to be strong and healthy for when we find Doflamingo.”

Luffy stared at the food for a moment, letting out a deep sigh before gulping down the plate.

“See, now that’s a good boy.”

She left the courtyard, headed towards her room, leaving the two men alone. Sanji rose to his feet, rubbing the swelled bump that grew from his head. 

The harsh sun accented every feature on Luffy’s body. Sanji stared at the thin figure. His captain’s skin clung to his bones, bags pulled down on his weary eyes. His black hair greatly conflicted with his pale skin. 

“You should see Chopper,” spoke Sanji, interrupting their silence.

“Why? I’m not injured or anything.”

“You look awful.”

“I’m fine.”

Sanji gave up knowing there would be no end in arguing with his stubborn captain. He exited the courtyard, leaving the young man to patrol alone. He entered his own paradise, Sunny’s grand kitchen. Sitting at the table was the mature black-haired woman. She sat with her legs crossed, sipping tea and enjoying a dense book. 

“You look tired,” her voice was thick like sweet honey. 

“It’s Luffy,” the man began, “He’s still refusing to take care of himself.”

“Well then, we just have to take care of him ourselves.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he responded sheepishly.

The two sat in silence for a moment. A dreadful atmosphere hung over the two. Although they never admitted it, they both knew that their thoughts were occupied with their missing first mate.

“Have you found any new leads?” Sanji asked, trying to end the sorrowful silence.

“No, but Nami says we are coming up to the next island,” responded Robin.

“We only have a few more islands left on the list of possible places. If he’s not on any of those then I have no idea where we would even start. We’re lucky that both Bellamy and Law had an idea of where they could’ve gone.”

“He’s on one of those islands,” A small voice perked up as the blue-nosed reindeer entered the room. “I just know he is.”

“You’re right Chopper, he has to be,” responded the blonde with a false positivity in his voice.

“Oi! Oi!” a nasal voice shouted from the speakers littered across the ship. “I see an island!” 

Everyone in the kitchen rushed out. Far off in the distance was a speck of an island. More people poured out of the ship and into the center area.

“SUPERRR find Usopp!” shouted the large cyborg with great enthusiasm.

“Yo ho ho ho! This might be it!” laughed the lanky skeleton.

Their captain’s eyes lit up. A smile grew across his previous dreary face.

“LET’S GO!” his voice overflowed with much-needed delight. 


	4. The Escape

Piercing white light consumed Zoro’s vision, his head achingly throb. Gradually readjusting to the biting light, his eyes toured the new room, revealing he was laying in a medical ward. Giant windows allowed golden rays of sun to blanket the remote room, the walls were painted a peaceful white, which matched the pale bed Zoro laid in. A small wooden bedside table, topped with a metal tray of various tools, rested next to the swordsman’s mattress. More beds, divided by thin ivory curtains, sat in a neat row across the room. A door was placed across from Zoro’s bed. 

He looked down at his sore body, showing that he was only wearing large blank pants, which hung over his effeminate legs. His toes wiggled in the chilly air of the room. Bandages firmly wrapped around his chest and more crowned Zoro’s injured head. 

With a swift flick of his hand, he tore off the coverings, unveiling the damage he suffered. Tightly stitched together was a deep cut running from the start of his breast to the top of his pecs. The red wound was still swollen with freshness.

After taking in his surroundings, an idea struck the young swordsman. He attempted to get up, but his movements were interrupted by vast pain. His body fell to the ground, bumping into the bedside table on the way, knocking off the tray of tools. They hit the ground with a loud clatter. 

The door slammed open, an older woman rushed into the room. Her brown hair was in a ponytail and she wore a clean white coat. Zoro curiously stared at her from the ground.

“Are you okay?” Her mouse-like voice was squeaky.

“I’m fine,” grumbled back the swordsman, attempting to stand again. Rushing to his side to help, the doctor lifted him, giving herself as support.

“You really shouldn’t move just yet.”

Zoro shook off her help and took to leaning on the bed stand instead.

“I told you already, I’m fine.”

“Where are your bandages?”

“They were uncomfortable.”

“So you took them off!?”

“Yea.”

“You know that I’m gonna have to rewrap you now.”

She let out an annoyed sigh.

“You don’t have too.”

“Yes I do, it’s a doctor’s job to make sure their patient heals nicely.”

Her frail hand reached out towards the swordsman’s chest. Zoro instinctively slapped it away, his feet carried him further against the wall. His body refused to be touched by a stranger, much less a stranger who supported  _ him _ .

“What was that for!?” she practically shrieked.

“Don’t touch me,” responded Zoro, his voice shaky. 

“Whatever,” the doctor uttered, “I’m not paid enough to deal with a stubborn child.”

She went to pick up the tools that fell on the ground. 

“Y’know you’re very lucky that the young master saved you, he’s extremely kind. You need to thank him.” 

“Whatever,” mockingly responded Zoro.

He pushed himself back onto the bed, groaning as he made contact with it.

“How long was I out?” he asked through clenched teeth.

“A couple of days. You almost died of blood loss.”

“Wish I did.”

“Don’t talk like that,” she spoke while placing the tools back on the table.

Her shrill voice heightened Zoro’s already painful headache. 

“Can you be quiet? You’re hurting my head.”

“You have no respect, do you?”

“Don’t you have any food or water? I haven’t eaten in days, right?” Zoro asked, trying to send the doctor away.

“That’s true, I’ll get you something real quick.”

She placed the tray back onto the table, then hurried out of the room. Once he could no longer hear her footsteps, Zoro shot up, this time his feet stayed steady. He rushed towards the nearest window, using it to scour the world outside. His body relaxed as his silver eyes soaked in the long yearned outdoors.

The medical room was situated in the corner of the building, resting on the 2nd floor. Outside it was overflowed with a healthy emerald forest. Old trees covered the ground. The window was partially covered by a thick branch protruding from a large tree.

Zoro fiddled with the window’s latch. After finally getting it undone, a strong breeze flung it open. He looked behind him one last time, then jumped out, wrapping his hands around the branch. His teeth clenched from the sudden pain erupting from his chest. Using his hands, the swordsman slowly crawled his way to the base of the tree. Once reaching it, he climbed down hugging it, careful to not make any noises. 

The soft wet grass tightly hugged Zoro’s ragged feet. Euphoric fresh air filled his nostrils, energizing his whole body. Benevolent warmth, from the sun, felt cosmic as Zoro’s sickly skin absorbed it. A pleasant mixture of natural smells surrounded the young swordsman. Birds sang peaceful songs, a playful squirrel ran about and butterflies drank nectar from the wildflowers splattered in the forest. 

The swordsman took one last glance back at his prison. Falling apart, the gothic stone castle looked peaceful, unlike the hell that rested inside of its body. After taking in the much-needed nature, Zoro took off, headed in a random direction. His slow pace shocked the swordsman, his body losing much of its stamina and strength from his old form.

Stars freckled the black sky as Zoro entered a town. It rested in a clearing, allowing the sky to shine through. Soft moonlight cradled the quiet town with its silver glow. Abandoned buildings, highlighted by the moon, littered the small area and were connected by dilapidated streets. Zoro clung to the shadows, traveling from alley to alley, keeping watch for any signs of life. The eerie desolation of the town kept the young swordsman on guard. Each of his bare steps on the icy cobblestone streets bounced from the walls of the decrepit buildings onto the trees, then escaping into the silent night.

He cautiously explored the few intact buildings, looking for any remaining useful belongings. After going through several, he ended up with a mismatched outfit - his sore feet were covered by a pair of unmatching old boots and his damaged chest was protected by a musty blue shirt. 

He entered one last house, this one more kept together than the rest. On the wall, still hanging, was a gorgeous lacquered sword. Its sheath was painted a deep black, intricately carved with two dragons dancing, alternating sides, its crossguard was a silver triangle, and its elongated grip was wrapped with a dark fabric. The swordsman picked up the sword, admiring its skilled details, and unsheathed it, exposing its dull blade. Disappointed by the lackluster reveal, he fixed it away, placing it on his belt, using an old towel as a makeshift holster. A smile grew on his face from the familiarity of the added weight the sword brought.

Zoro, happy with his new findings, headed off again. He wandered with no real direction, finding small ponds for water, the occasional animal for food, and using trees for shelter. Several days passed when he stumbled upon a bright city in the distance.

By the time he reached the city, the sun had already set, but the sky was still vibrant from the city’s boundless lights. Above, clouds began to take form. Zoro entered a lively red light district, filled with drunks and a diversity of shady individuals. Businesses bordered the street, most being bars and brothels. Women lined up in front of shops to sell their services. The swordsman clung to the sides of the streets, keeping his head down, avoiding any contact. 

He entered a small alleyway broken off from the main road. The potent smell of alcohol instantly dried his throat with insatiable thirst. His body craved the strong burning of the gold liquid. He followed the smell down a stairway, leading to a solid door. Opening it, Zoro entered a bustling bar, filled with rambunctious gathered outlaws. Shoving through people, the swordsman placed himself on a tall stool, cushioned in between two burly men. A bartender slid over to Zoro’s seating area. His brown beard reached just above his waist, his tattooed arms flexed while he cleaned a glass and his aged eyes glared at the new customer.

“What’s your poison?” asked the muscular bartender with his rough voice. 

“I don’t have any money,” Responded the young swordsman, hopeful that the bartender would be generous, “But I’ll do anything for a strong drink.”

“Did you hear that?!” The bartender yelled. “He wants a free drink!” 

A burst of laughter blew from the crowd. The bartender peeled over laughing, causing more boisterous laughter to echo from the mass.

“This ain’t no charity kid. Get out!”

A disappointed Zoro stood up and moved towards the door. He wrapped his hand around the brass doorknob. Just as he twisted it open, a voice interrupted him.

“I’ll buy him a drink,” perked up a stranger from across the bar.

Zoro’s head darted towards the voice. The owner was a younger man sitting at a shaded table in the corner. His brown hair was messy, his hazel eyes were sharp, giving off an aura of danger, but his kind gestures gave him a friendly juxtaposition. He was finely dressed - especially compared to the irregular group in the bar - wearing a rich black suit and polished wingtip shoes. In his hands was a dirty piece of paper.

“You sure?” asked the bartender.

“Yeah, I’m feeling generous _. _ ”

He waved Zoro over. The swordsman’s hand dropped from the doorknob and he took a seat at the mysterious man’s table. The man placed the paper on the table, facing downwards.

“What’s this kindness for?” Asked Zoro.

“Just in a good mood,” smirked back the man.

A large brown pouch hit the table with a loud thump, spilling out its contents. Shining Berris littered the table, Zoro stared in shock.

“In fact, I’ll buy the whole bar as many drinks as this bag is worth!” 

A cheer spread throughout the bar.

“You’re a big spender,” chuckled the bartender.

The man refocused his attention back to Zoro.

“So, what brings you here to this back-alley of a town?” asked the man.

“Just passing through,” responded the swordsman, “What’s your name?”

“Doesn’t matter,” began the man. “What about you?”

Zoro gulped down a drink, slamming his pitcher into the table. The euphoric liquid blessed Zoro’s mouth, giving him an immense burn as it traveled down his throat into his stomach. His tongue absorbed all of its flavor, making sure he enjoyed every last drop. His body stung with a variety of felicitous sensations. A grin grew across his face.

“Doesn’t matter,” he responded.

The man laughed. His eyes focused on Zoro’s sword.

“That’s a nice sword,” the man spoke, “Where’d you get it?”

“Ah, I just found it.”

“You just found it!? A beauty like that!”

“Yes.”

“Heh, That’s a nice find you got there.”

The man laughed again. Zoro continued to drink until the supply of Berri’s ran low. 

“Well, that’s it!” shouted the bartender. “The money’s out!”

Boos and groans came from the bar.

The man chuckled. “I’ll bring some more next time.”

Giving a nod of appreciation to the man, Zoro stood up, accidentally bumping into the table. The ruined paper fluttered to the ground, landing on its back. Fear rose in Zoro as he recognized the flyer. It was his own wanted poster. Quickly rushing out of there, the swordsman felt queasy.

He continued his unsure path. As he ran, his head felt fuzzy, each step was heavy, and the world was blurry.

“I can’t be drunk, I  _ never _ get drunk,” Zoro muttered to himself.

He reentered the crowded district, stumbling on like a newborn fawn. With each step becoming harder than the last, everything began to blend into one. His eyes skimmed through the crowd looking for help.

A familiar straw hat bobbed along, flowing with the current of the crowd. Zoro’s heart skipped a beat as his eyes trailed it. He wavered as his legs attempted to follow. 

“Luffy!” he cried.

The straw hat continued on its path.

“Luffy!” his speech quivered as he yelled.

The straw hat took no notice of his receded voice.

“Luffy,” the words scarcely escaped his lungs.

His eyes stayed on the moving straw hat as he collapsed to the ground, his body crashing into the stone walkway. The straw hat stretched on out of sight as the swordsman’s vision dimmed.

“Luffy...,” Zoro desperately whispered one last time. His sight faded to black.

\---

“Luffy! What are you doing?” impatiently asked Nami.

The straw hat stood a distance away from the navigator, surrounded by a pool of moving people. 

“I swore that I heard someone call my name,” responded the rubber man.

“It’s just your imagination, we have to keep moving.”

“Bu-”

“Let’s go!” Nami yelled under her breath.

Her hand wrapped around the captain’s wrist, she yanked hard, pulling him with her as she walked towards the rest of their group. Luffy looked behind his back one last desperate time, searching for the source of the ambiguous call. After finding no answers he shook Nami off and began to follow her, keeping up with her speedy pace.

“What’s the holdup?” worriedly asked Usopp once they met back together.

“Nothing important, Luffy’s just hearing things,” responded Nami.

“We need to hurry, Chopper is already at the hotel over there.”

His tanned finger pointed towards a run-down shack.

“Couldn’t you get anything better?!” Nami nagged.

“It’s not our fault that you gave us such a tight budget!”

“It’s not my fault you guys can’t barter, I bet the others don’t have to deal with a crappy hotel like this!”

The three entered, meeting up with their animal crewmate. He led them upstairs and into their small room, which consisted of two beds, a filthy bathroom, and a small window looking out over the street. An old wooden chair sat just below the window as a perch to look out of it. Nami threw her bags onto the cleaner bed.

“You three can share the other one,” she spoke while sitting down.

“That’s unfair!” yelled Chopper.

“What? I’m the only female here.”

“It’s fine Chopper,” began Luffy, “We need to focus on finding Zoro.”

Their captain’s maturity shocked the other three, knowing he is usually the catalyst for these types of pointless fights.

“Robin, Sanji, Brooke, and Tra-guy should have already landed on the other side of the island,” started Nami, breaking the awkward silence, “We should begin our search tomorrow, so make sure you get a good night of sleep.”

She entered the bathroom to get ready to sleep. Usopp and Chopper promptly fell asleep in a muddled position on their bed. 

Luffy sat on the old chair and stared out of the little window into the bright city below. He watched as people walked by. Most wore rough clothes and held a drink in their hands, but a well-dressed man stuck out of the crowd. A bulky burlap sack was slung over his shoulder and he constantly turned his head, searching his surroundings, as if he was making sure that no one was watching him. The straw hat’s eyes followed as the man went against the crowd and headed towards the outskirts of the city. The mysterious bag became the center of Luffy’s world, his black eyes could only stare at it. A sense of familiarity and trepidation washed over him. His heart pounded as if trying to tell him that he needed the bag. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from it as he watched it exit the range of the window, but the impending feeling didn’t leave Luffy, even after he could no longer see it. 

After Nami finally exited the bathroom and went to bed, Luffy tried to sleep as well, but he couldn’t. He stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out the ominous emotions the sack left. 

After sleeplessly laying down for a while, he decided to search for the man and the bag to put his mind at rest. He threw on a black cloak and quietly snuck out, delicately shutting the door with a silent click.


	5. The Encounter

Dark clouds cloaked the night sky, their looming grey bodies barely containing the restless water inside. The large masses blocked out the moon’s light, only dim rays escaped through. Moisture clung to the damp air, the temperature continued to drop. The cold bit at Luffy’s sensitive skin as he briskly walked, the black cloak blowing behind him, not knowing where to go, he headed in the same direction as the man. 

Although it was late, the city was still active. The bright lights made the night seem like day. Luffy shoved his way through the thick crowds, ducking and dodging around obstacles.

As he continued forward, entering the grim outskirts of the town, the buildings grew shabbier. It was eerily silent, only a dog’s bark echoed through the rubbish streets. Fewer people roamed around, though there were still small groups huddled together in a few of the alleyways. 

Shack after shack, Luffy passed by, looking for anything that gave a sense to where the man’s destination was. He scoured the barren landscape, using only the light from the dimmed moon. Standing on the apex of a dark hill was an old factory. A familiar sense of dread overcame Luffy as he stared at it, his stomach dropping.

Its ruined body, made out of crumbling concrete, barely held its shape. The towering smokestacks forbade danger, and a rusted chain-link fence surrounded it, leaving a gap for an entrance.

His legs moved as if they had a mind of their own, bringing him to the building. He entered the musty factory, sneaking his way through the maze of abandoned machinery. The ceiling was falling apart and in some places it had already collapsed, allowing faint moonlight to permeate throughout, bringing light into the dark building. Shy dust particles danced in the air, only revealing themselves in the moon’s gaze. Old pieces of coal, from when the factory was still open, piled up in cylinder containers. Broken glass littered the concrete ground, ruined posters and signs, barely legible, were nailed onto the walls.

“ZORO!” he yelled, “Zoro, are you here!?”

He continued his way through, his footsteps crunched as he walked over glass. Conveyor belts twisted and turned with their snake-like figures, creating a complicated labyrinth. 

“ZORO, I’M HERE FOR YOU!”

A muffled noise stopped the straw hat in his tracks. Listening closely, he heard the muddled voices of two men, though the contents of their conversation were indistinguishable. Following the sound, the straw hat was led to a solid steel door rusted along its hinges, which clung to the door with all of their strength. Slowly he wrapped his hand around the circular knob and using strength, he dragged the door open, leading the straw hat outside into a large courtyard. A gaping hole in the chain-link fence was cut out, leaving enough room that a small ship could pass through, in the middle, facing away from Luffy, sat two muscular men, engaged in a conversation. A wagon laid just past them, its boxy contents covered with a heavy sheet.

“Zoro!” he shouted, “Is that you?”

The men shot onto their feet. They looked for the source of the intrusive voice.

“Who’s there?” bellowed out a voice.

“I think someone’s here for the cargo!” panicked the other man, “Just hurry up and leave already! I’ll hold him off.”

“Alright, I’ll see you at the castle!”

One of the men rushed to the wagon and with the crack of a whip, a horse let out a harsh neigh, and the wagon shot pass the young captain. Luffy stared at its fast-moving contents as the sheet flew off, revealing a large cage. Inside, sat a thin corpse-like body. It laid motionless, eyes tightly shut, its chest slowly rising up and down to take in small short breaths. Luffy froze, his eyes unmoving from the body. Luffy knew; that familiar green shaggy hair, that scar across his left eye, those three golden earrings. Luffy knew, but his mind couldn’t accept it. Images of his first mate smiling, fighting, and laughing, flashed in his mind. His crewmate, the one who never gave up, the one who made sure Luffy never strayed from a captain’s duty, the one who was the first to join him on his ridiculous quest to be Pirate King, the one who always believed in him, that crewmate, that friend, now sat in front of him, unrecognizable. Anger, hatred, sadness; negative emotions Luffy hardly ever felt, now boiled deeply inside of him. His arms began to stretch out towards the wagon, but the remaining man blocked them. 

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Get out of my way,” Luffy growled back, his voice shaking with anger.

“Make me.”

The man swung his sword at Luffy. The straw hat quickly ducked, easily dodging the weak blow. 

“Gomu Gomu…” Luffy started, stretching out his arm behind him.

The man began to prepare another attack, pulling back his sword.

“...No Pistol,” Luffy shouted as his fist shot into the man’s stomach.

The aggressor flew into the wall, howling in pain as he slid onto the floor. A large creator was left from the impact. 

Luffy took off after the wagon, stretching his arm out once more. This time, his fingers successfully grasped one of the bars, but they immediately unlatched. His body felt faint, similar to how the ocean affects him. 

“Sea stone,” he muttered.

He tried to run after it but, with his body still faint, his pace was slow. The wagon quickly disappeared, leaving only a dust cloud behind. The straw hat continued to follow its trail, chasing after the dust. Thunder roared a booming roar and heavy showers poured from the bleak night sky. Fog cloaked the ground. Rain quickly turned the trail into mud, erasing the wagon’s presence. 

Luffy continued, the freezing rain soaking his entire body. As he ran, he tripped over a rock, breaking the thong of his sandal and sending him flying into the slippery ground. Sliding across the mud, the straw hat was flung into a tree. Blood poured from his head, but the rain quickly washed it away. He hurriedly stood up but his feet collapsed under him, causing him to stumble onto his knees. The defeated straw hat was filled with despair, warm tears formed in the corner of his tired eyes.

“DAMMIT!” he shouted angrily, pounding his fists into the ground, “Dammit, dammit, dammit!”

His fists becoming raw and bloodied as he hit the ground with all of his strength, the rainfall covered the sound of his cries. 

“Luffy!” a familiar feminine voice yelled, “What are you doing out here?!”

“Nami?” quietly whispered the captain.

He turned his head to see his navigator and doctor running towards him, both soaked. He stood up and ran at them, latching onto the orange-haired and embracing her into a tight hug, causing her to stumble backward. Blood and mud transferred onto her clothes.

“Luffy?” she asked, “What’s wrong?”

“He was here,” he began to sob, no longer able to hold the tears back anymore, “He was here, and I let him go.”

“Who?” asked a frightened Chopper, “Who was here Luffy?”

“Z-Zoro was here,” Luffy spoke between sniffles, “B-But he was taken.”

“ZORO!?” Nami and Chopper simultaneously shouted. 

Luffy gave them a run-down of the previous events.

“He looked awful,” said Luffy, “I hardly recognized him.”

“Do you have any clue where they could have gone?” asked Nami.

“No, nothing...” he began, but a thought interrupted him, “Actually, they mentioned something about a castle.”

“A castle? Well, Let’s get out the rain and meet up with Usopp to make a plan,” She said. “You did the best you could, everything will end up being alright.”

They headed back towards the old hotel and met back up with their sharpshooter.

“LUFFY!” he shouted worriedly, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” responded the straw hat flatly.

He explained the events to Usopp.

“So he’s here and alive?”

Usopp’s face glistened with hope. 

“Yea, but he looked miserable.”

The group began to formulate a plan.

\---

A large bump sent Zoro flying into the roof of the cage, slamming his head onto the metal bars. The impact instantly awoke the swordsman. His body was sore and his mind groggy, his clothes soaked, and his skin freezing. He looked around, but the darkness prevented him from seeing. A flash of lightning lit up the world. In that instant, Zoro saw everything; his bound hands, the metal cage, and the forest that surrounded him. Once the shock wore off, tears poured from his eyes.

“STOP!” He shouted. 

His meek voice quickly covered up by the rain.

“Stop... Please Stop! I can’t go back... Please!” His cry stayed unanswered.

“Stop…” 

His consciousness slowly faded out, the only warmth he felt was from his tears and the blood swelling from the wound on his head.

The loud clatter of the lock dropping to the floor jolted Zoro back awake. Before him stood the generous man from the bar, keys in hand, and dawned with a slight frown.

“Get out, we’re here,” he sternly spoke.

Zoro stumbled up, his legs hardly holding his weight.

“Hurry up, the master is not a patient man - but  _ you  _ should know that already.”

Zoro begrudgingly exited the cage. The neverending rain covered the land in thick sheets, deep thunder rolled over the sky, followed by snakes of lightning. He looked around to explore his setting. Guards lined the road, leading up to the entrance of the castle, the sight diminishing any hope of running.

The man began to walk towards the entrance of the castle, its towering body blocking the rain.

“Follow.”

Timid steps followed the man into the daunting hallway, leading to the Tartarean doors that Zoro lamented. 

“Enter, he’s waiting for you.”

Zoro’s stomach twisted as he charily entered the traumatic room, his thoughts darkened with memories of the haunting experiences he suffered. He scanned around, looking for his abuser, but found nothing. His body relaxed, his breaths deflated with a soft sigh. He walked towards his corner to prepare for the hell that was to come.

“Where are you going?” 

The unbearable demonic voice made Zoro freeze, his breath quickened in panic, cold sweat swelled on his forehead, and goosebumps littered his arms. His body trembled as he tried to move, but his feet felt shackled to the ground, all he could do was patiently listen as the heavy footsteps grew closer to him, stopping once he felt the warmth of the demon’s body behind him.

“I’ve missed you Zoro-kun,” he whispered inside of Zoro’s ear, his snake-like tongue flicking the outer edge. 

The smoldering breath of the demon tickled the swordsman’s neck, its smell filled with sweet wine. The demon kissed the back of his pet’s neck, slowly moving his way down to Zoro’s shoulder, leaving behind a light trail of saliva. His large hands rubbed along the swordsman’s body. His right hand followed the figure of Zoro’s waist and down to the zipper of his pants. He slowly unzipped it and, using his other hand, took out the swordsman’s limp dick.

“I’ve been cruel to you, haven’t I?” he spoke with a soft tone, “That’s why you ran away, isn’t it?”

As he began to softly stroke Zoro, the swordsman gripped the demon’s free hand and squeezed it as his cock grew. He let out a series of pleasurable moans.

“Let me show you kindness now.”

Grabbing Zoro’s hand, the Heavenly Demon led him to the large bed. Zoro was now able to get a good look at his captor. He didn’t wear his cloak or his intimidating sunglasses. His eyes, the swordsman noticed for the first time, humanized him with their soft pupils.

Zoro laid down onto the bed, with his legs hung over the side, his wet pants clinging around his thighs, his shirt scrunched up his chest, and his right arm draped across his face, covering his eyes.

Doflamingo knelt next to Zoro’s separated legs, positioning himself between them, and pursed his lips around the pulsating cock. He gently wrapped his tongue around the head and wiggled it around in the slit of the tip.

“M-more…” Zoro begged.

Doflamingo went down further until the whole shaft was no longer visible. His blonde head bobbed up and down with vigor, one hand tightly rested on the young swordsman’s knees, the other helping guide the Shichibukai’s motions. Zoro’s fingers tightly clenched the bedsheets as he was brought to climax. He released his white load into his captor’s mouth and, to Zoro’s shock, the large man swallowed every last drop.

“I know it may not look like it, but I care for you,” he spoke, standing up, “It really scared me when you ran away, you could have gotten hurt or even worse. Promise me that you’ll never do that again.”

The blood drained from Zoro’s face, his heart pounded. 

“I won’t,” muttered Zoro, glancing away.

“Look at me.”

His head slowly rose, facing the intimidating man. Their eyes made contact.

“I won’t,” he spoke again, this time with a stern voice.

Doflamingo stroked the green hair’s face with his calloused hand.

“Good, you must be exhausted,” began the man, “I’ll let you clean yourself, and then you can rest.”

He led Zoro to the bathroom. The swordsman took a long shower, its fiery water bringing comfort to him.

Once exiting, he headed towards the corner where he usually sleeps. 

“Come sleep in my bed,” his captor shockingly said while laying down, patting the open spot next to him.

“Are you sure?” mumbled back a confused Zoro, “You’ve never let me sleep in your bed before.”

“Yes, I am sure. I’ve been strict with you, I’ve realized this now, so I’ve decided to give you more freedom, but this doesn’t mean I’ll let you go unpunished. After all, you did waste my time and resources.”

The young swordsman laid next to Doflamingo, facing away from him, still keeping his distance from his captor. 

Large hands wrapped around Zoro’s stomach, pulling him closer to the Shichibukai. “You know, your eyes were all puffy when you came in.”

Zoro stayed silent. 

“I know that I’ve punished you for crying in the past, but today is different, you can cry if you want,” His voice was soft, his breath tickling the back of the swordsman’s neck.

The warmth from the larger man’s body felt scorching to Zoro. His mind flooded with thoughts of his crew, then Kuina. His memory of her was as clear as glass. Every detail, even the smallest of laugh lines, was engraved in his mind. He thought back to their promise, his dream, her wish. Tears began to flood his eyes once more. 

After a few hours of silently sobbing, Zoro fell asleep.

\---

Rain continued to slam against the windows of the dining hall, the wind howling as if it was in pain. Around the long table sat the Donquixote family. A large quantity of lavish food rested in front of the family members. Servants lined up next to the door, waiting for commands from their young master. 

“Hmpf, if the Straw Hats are here, why don’t we fight them?” Pica asked.

He chugged down a glass of wine, a servant came to his side, quickly refilling the empty cup.

“Isn’t that obvious?” Gladius began, “We are in no shape to fight again. Not only are we still injured, but most of our forces have also been taken by the Marines.”

“Then what should we do about the pests?” Dillenger asked.

“Our best chance would be to run,” Giolla answered.

“Run again? I’m tired of running, I want to fight!” Dillenger complained.

Using his fork, he lazily played with a piece of broccoli still left on his empty plate, moving it back and forth.

“Hey, Doffy, what’s the plan?” Trebol asked, directed to the head of the table.

“We need to save as much energy and resources we can,” Doflamingo spoke, breaking his silence, “If we want to save our crew from the marines, then we need to avoid fighting the Straw Hats.”

“Ugh, so we’re running again?” Dillenger groaned.

He aggressively stabbed the broccoli, shoving it into his mouth. 

“If you don’t like it, you can stay here,” Gladius joked.

“We can’t go anywhere with this storm, so we’ll have to wait it out,” Giolla perked.

“Are you going to bring that Straw Hat dog with you?” Pica squeaked.

“Of course, after all, he  _ is _ part of the family now,” Doflamingo responded with a sinister tone.

Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Zoro, brought in by a guard. He was dressed in a black suit, his hair nicely groomed.

“Ah, my dear Zoro-kun, we were just talking about you! Come and sit,” the master cheerfully spoke, gesturing to a cushioned seat next to his chair. 

The guard respectfully bowed, before exiting, leaving Zoro standing alone at the door. The swordsman made his way to the seat and awkwardly sat. He kept his head down, but he could still feel the families’ eyes glaring at him. His hands clenched into fists as he pushed them down into his thighs. A reassuring hand was placed on his shoulder. Zoro looked up to see Doflamingo standing behind him, a slight smirk plastered on his face.

The young master waved in a servant, who speedily entered, carrying a platter of food. She placed it in front of the swordsman, revealing it was brimming with a variety of fancy meats and exotic sides. Another servant rushed in, pouring him a large glass of wine to be paired with it. 

“Eat, It’s all yours,”

The swordsman took a bite, then another, quickly gobbling up the blissful meal, downing the glass of divine wine with it.

“You must be hungry,” laughed Doflamingo, “Don’t worry, we have tons of food just for you.”

Another plate was brought to the swordsman, and again he ate it all. 

For the first time in months, Zoro was full. 


	6. The Search

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all I'm back! Sorry I disappeared, there's not really an excuse, I was just lazy. 
> 
> I HIGHLY suggest you go back and reread the previous chapters, I changed/added/rewrote some things, more specifically chapter 5. I didn't change too much, some chapters I just fixed typos, but I wanted to improve them so it could flow into the conclusion I want. 
> 
> Thank you for patiently waiting. I will now introduce you to chapter 6, The Search.

_ Purururu. Purururu. Purururu. _

“Oi, someone pick up the Den Den Mushi,” Sanji spoke.

He stood in front of the smoldering stove, pan in hand, a white apron tied tightly around his thin waist. Sweat dripped down from his forehead, trailing down his face, pooling in the indent of his collar bone.  Smoke rose from the ruby end of the chef’s cigarette, curling high, escaping out of an open window.  The aroma of sizzling bacon filled the air as he placed each piece onto the hot pan.

“I got it,” responded Robin from around the corner.

She quickly rushed into the kitchen, her arm brushing Sanji’s. The sweet fragrance of her hair struck a smile across the cook’s face. 

“Thank you Robin-chan!”

Robin picked up the snail phone. Leaning against the counter, she placed the speaker against her ear.

“Hello?” she answered, “Ah, Nami, it’s you!”

She moved onto the counter, using it as a seat, her legs hanging off. Her finger coiled around the phone’s wire, it’s snake-like body wrapping around the thin appendage. 

“Nami-san?” Sanji asked, now interested in their call, “I want to talk to her!”

He moved behind Robin, trying to grab the phone from her. Hands sprouted out of Sanji’s back, covering his mouth and entrapping his arms behind him. The cook tried to pry them off, but with their soft texture, he let out a pleasurable chuckle. The historian glared at Sanji as the hands disappeared.

“ZORO!?” she suddenly shouted, causing the cook to jump, “Luffy really saw him!?”

Sanji’s attention was now fully focused on their conversation, Law poked his head around the corner.

“What’s this about Zoro?” he asked.

The surgeon lazily rubbed his eyes, their heavy bags noticeable from a distance. Casting a shade over his face, his spotted hat hung over his head.

“I don’t know, but she’s talking to Nami right now,” Sanji responded.

The two looked back at Robin with interest. Clouded sunlight flowed through the hotel’s windows, highlighting her stoic face. 

“Have you told Franky yet?... Yeah?... Alright, I’ll call you back then.”

With that, Robin hung up the transponder and looked at the two men. The blood was drained from her face, her paled arms covered in goosebumps.

“Luffy saw Zoro,” her voice slightly trembling as she spoke Zoro’s name.

“He did?” asked Sanji with light excitement, “What happened?”

“Apparently there was trouble,” Robin responded.

She told them everything that Nami told her, relaying the events that Luffy suffered through.

“At least we know he’s here,” began Law, “So, what’s the next step?”

“Nami said they were going to look around for any information on the castle and I think we should do the same.” 

“Shouldn’t be too hard then, a castle’s pretty hard to miss,” Sanji responded, now focusing back onto their food, “We should head out after we eat.”

The bedroom door flung open and the cheerful skeleton walked in.

“Yohoho! What’s with all this commotion this early in the morning?” Brook questioned.

“We have a clue where Zoro is, a castle, but we don’t know where it is,” Law responded.

“Really?! Yohohoho, that’s great news!”

The skeleton’s face gleamed with joy. Opening the fridge, he pulled out a carton of milk.

“But, shouldn’t you know the location?” Brook asked, his question directed towards the tired surgeon.

“Why would I?”

“Well, you were part of the Donqixote Pirates, weren’t you?”

“Yea, but, they took over this island after I left, the only reason that I know of it is that I overheard Caesar Clown talking about it.”

“Breakfast is ready!” Sanji interrupted.

The four sat down to eat. Once done, they left the hotel to begin their search. Rain drenched the city, grey clouds darkened the sky. Protected by the hotel’s patio, Robin pulled out an umbrella.

“I’m going to check if there’s a library, you guys should talk to the locals,” Robin said over her shoulder, walking away from the three men. 

“I’ll go with you!” Sanji shouted.

He ran to the historian, quickly catching up to her. Sharing her protection, he nestled up to her shoulder, 

“We should split up too,” Law began, “to cover more ground.”

“I’m fine with that, plus I’d rather be with a woman than you.”

Brook quickly rushed away, fawning to the side of a passerby woman. Law rolled his eyes, before going off in another direction. 

He explored the city’s sleek facade. Since they came at night, Law didn’t get a good look at the town when first entering. The street was clean, made out of light stone that reflected the sun’s dimmed rays. Entrapping the road were two long rows of buildings. They were uniform in their white color and their boxy shape, each having the same elaborate front and stood at the height of a two-story building. The rows seemed to go on forever, the identical houses never changing, only ending once another milky street crossed through. 

There were few people in the area, all wearing intricate clothing, women mostly in flamboyant dresses, and men mostly in flashy doublets. 

“Can I ask you a few questions?” Law asked a man passing by.

His rotund face twisted with disgust as he glared at the surgeon. His puffy cheeks covering most of his dopey eyes. Law, taken aback, approached a woman nearby.

“He-”

“Ew, why is a rat talking to me!” she screeched.

Her pace quickened, the heels of her shoes tapping louder than the rain. Frustrated, Law wandered around, looking for another person. He stopped in a courtyard filled with stalls. 

Although it was raining, the market was filled. People sold a variety of expensive wares and fancy foods. Law stopped at the nearest stand. Silver jewelry lined the counter, the trinkets adorned with colorful gems. The wooden structure, covered with a striped canopy, laid next to an alleyway. No one was looking at the vendor’s products. Law tried to talk to the seller, but the man ignored him, instead, he focused on trying to bring people to his shop.

“They won’t talk to you if you look like  _ that _ ,” A small voice peaked.

The Surgeon of Death looked around for the source of the voice, but there was no one around.

“You idiot, over here.”

A small hand popped out from the near-by alleyway. It motioned Law to come and he obliged, entering the dark corridor. 

“Hello?” Law asked.

There was no answer. 

The rising buildings protected the path from the rain. Trash piled-up against the walls, producing a rancid smell that intermingled with the wet air. He continued down the crowded path, the noisy rain soon becoming muted. Darkness permeated throughout the whole area. Law kept his eyes peeled for the source of the voice. He continued until he hit a towering wall, marking the end of the alley. Confused, Law turned around.

“BOO!” Yelled a young child as he dropped from an overhanging balcony.

Law stumbled back, bumping into a trashcan. Both bodies fell, the metal bin clanging loudly as it slammed into the ground. Pushing himself back onto his feet, the surgeon rubbed his sore backside.

“Ha! I got you!” Laughed the child.

“What’s your problem!?” Law practically yelled, clenching his racing heart.

“Hey, relax, I was just trying to have some fun. Everyone around here is  _ so _ uptight.”

Law looked at the small figure, the poor lighting concealing his face.

“Where are your parents, kid?”

“I don’t have any, but that doesn’t matter. You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Cool! You should come over to my house.”

“I can’t, I ha-,” 

The kid grabbed his hand, his icy fingertips sending a shiver down Law’s spine. He pulled the surgeon out of the alleyway, using overhangs to block the rain, the kid made his way through the street, dragging Law with him. Now that they were back in the light, the young child’s face was visible. He wore shabby clothes that were poorly patched together. Bones protrude from his joints and his collarbone. His skin was coated in a layer of dirt, darkening its color by several shades. Clung together in Clumps, his scruffy brown hair was partially covered with an old messenger cap that was several sizes too big.

“My house is just right over there,” the kid spoke, pointing his frail finger towards the edge of the town.

“I can’t go, I have something I need to do.”

“Please?” The kid spoke, turning around to face Law, “It doesn’t have to be long, I just want to hear some of your stories.”

The kid’s brown eyes met Laws’. They were partially sunken in, which made his round nose jut outwardly. His irises were speckled with gold flecks, his pupils glimmered with a sad hope.

“Fine,” Law relented, “But I can’t stay for long.”

“Awesome! My name’s Kai, what’s yours?”

Kai’s face shone with a bright smile, one of his upper teeth was missing.

“Law.”

“Law, huh? I like it!”

\---

Robin stared at the building ahead of her. Its meager body was shoved in between two large buildings, the exterior was neglected, its battered front highly clashing with the clean town. An old sign hung above the door, barely clinging on, the faded letters reading, ‘Library’.

“Not much of a library,” Sanji joked.

They entered the building, a gust of musty air quickly hitting them. The smell of dirt and aged paper melded in the air. Robin placed her wet umbrella next to the door.

“Welcome!” An old librarian spoke from the corner, “Are ya looking for anything specific?”

She was slouched in a wooden chair. Her tanned skin, toughened with age, had leathery texture. As she spoke, her face stayed unmoving, only her paper-thin lips slightly trembled with each word. The picture reminded Robin of a burlap sack of potatoes.

“Is there anything about the history of this island?” Robin asked, quickly pushing the image from her mind.

“Interested about this island, are ya? Everything we have is on that shelf.”

Her shaky finger pointed towards the back. Robin gave a nod of appreciation. Passing by several shelves lined with books, the couple reached a mostly-empty bookcase. A metal tag, built into the wood shelf, read, ‘History’. 

“Is this all there is?” Robin shouted towards the front.

“Yes,” responded the librarian.

“There isn’t much,” Sanji muttered

Robin picked up a book. Tracing her finger across the cover, Robin followed the indents that marked the title. Its flawless leather body was dyed a royal blue. The spotless pages were crisp, the ink still smelling fresh. Flipping through, she skimmed past the words.

“This is talking about recent events, there's hardly any mention about the past,” she commented.

“Same with this one,” Sanji replied, holding up another book, its cover also pristine.

“Well, one of these books has to have the answer.”

The two continued to read through the books.

\---

“Well, it looks like you didn’t get any infections or anything, but due to your carelessness, your wound’s gonna take longer to heal,” the mousey doctor said while stressfully rubbing the temples of her head.

Zoro tuned out the older woman’s voice, his attention fully focused on the large windows showcasing the alluring outside world. He watched as the raindrops fell from the sky, each one dispersing once they slammed into the lush leaves of the forest. Zoro sat on one of the many beds, shirtless, the doctor carefully checking his pinkish wound, next to the door stood the mysterious man from the bar.

“I’m going to get some bandages, don’t run off this time,” the doctor joked.

Zoro responded with a harsh glare. 

The doctor shuffled out of the room and into the connecting door. An awkward silence hung over the two remaining men. 

“So, you’re one of Doflamingo’s dogs?” 

Zoro’s question broke through the awkwardness. The man, seemingly uninterested, responded with a simple tilt of his head, signifying the swordsman was correct.

“Then why haven’t I seen you around before?”

Folding his arms, the man shifted on his feet. His intense glare burrowed into Zoro. 

“I’ve been stationed in the town.”

“Is that why you were sent after me? Since I don’t know your face?”

“No, our meeting was purely coincidental.”

The man once again shifted on his feet, shoving his hands into his pockets. His eyes darted back and forth. Zoro closely studied his movements as he continued.

“What were you doing in the town?”

“Can you just shut up?” The man abruptly said. His voice had a hint of panic.

“Why should I?”

The man responded with silence. The door slammed open, the doctor returned to the room, her arms full of a variety of medical supplies, marking the end of Zoro’s barrage of questions. She carefully patched Zoro back together, wrapping more bandages around his chest. 

“Come on, let’s go,” the man spoke, once the doctor was done.

Zoro threw his shirt back on and followed closely as the two made their way through the labyrinthian halls. They entered a spiral staircase that Zoro’s never been down before, its unfamiliarity making the swordsman uneasy. They traveled further and further down, the constant circling making Zoro’s stomach churn. Howling rain pounded against the stone walls of the castle, the damp air filled Zoro’s lungs. Each breath became more laborious as they continued, the air becoming thicker with moisture and dust. At the end of the staircase, a short hallway led to a solid iron door. Zoro’s heart began to pound. The man pulled out an over-filled keychain from his pocket. Their high-pitch jingles pierced Zoro’s ears. As he tried key after key, the swordsman’s heart grew louder and louder, until it completely consumed his mind. 

The man muttered something, but Zoro’s deafening heartbeat overshadowed the noise. He couldn’t concentrate on anything, the world danced around him, slowly gaining speed. A loud click broke Zoro’s trance and a thunderous creak echoed in the stone castle as the door was pulled open. The two entered another long hallway. Each wall was rowed with metal cells. Zoro closely followed the man. 

His eyes wandered the path. Some of the cells laid empty, others were already occupied by residents. An occasional pain-filled cry would reverberate in the musty hall, piercing the tense atmosphere. Zoro glanced at some of the other prisoners as he passed. There were a variety of inmates, some in better shape than others, but most lost any trace of humanity. With drained sympathetic eyes, the prisoners watched as Zoro passed by.

They stopped at the end of the hallway, where another metal door stood, this one thicker than the last. The man pulled out another key chain, this one only donning one single key. The door swung open easily, and the two entered the dark room. Old lights flickered on as the man found the light switch. Square in shape, the room was the size of a large bedroom. Several selections of chains hung from the ceiling. A variety of knives, scalpels, and other sharp metal tools were lined up on a table near the door. Other torturous-looking machines littered the area. Colorful dark stains painted the stone ground and walls.

“This is your new home,” the man said sarcastically.

Zoro blankly stared at him, his silver eyes empty. The man grabbed a chain that was connected to the ceiling with a pulley. At one end was a pair of cuffs, the other end hung freely.

“Come here.”

The swordsman calmly followed the orders, his body fluently moving to the chains. The man locked the cuffs around the swordsman’s thin scarred wrists. Once secure, the free end of the chain was tugged on, pulling Zoro into the air. Zoro felt lifeless as each tug raised him higher and higher, his mind completely blank. 

He felt an emotion he couldn’t place at first, an emotion he’s never truly felt before. A weird tranquility. A raw serene, almost pleasant awareness. Acceptance. What Zoro was feeling was acceptance. Before, though he was compliant, he still had a spark. A spark to fight back, a spark of hope, a spark of courage, but now, that spark has diminished. Zoro’s heart, mind, and body finally accepted his fate.

Once he was several feet in the air, the man wrapped the end of the chain onto a pole, securing the swordsman. 

Opening the door, the man gave Zoro one last pitiful glance, before exiting the room. The door locked with a painful click.

  
  
  
  
  



	7. The Beginning of the End

A thin layer of water coated the cobblestone ground. The sun shone through a gap in the grey clouds. The rain finally cleared up, leaving streaks of dampness on the wood buildings and the windows littered with clear raindrops. It was late afternoon; the sun was just preparing to sleep. The air was cool but unnaturally still. 

A chorus of footsteps raced their way through the town, the ground quaking wherever it passed. Nami took the lead of the group, followed by Chopper and Usopp, and staggering behind them was Luffy. They pushed their way through the crowds, throwing people to the side, running as fast as they could with shouts of profanity and confusion hurled at them. Following closely, a wave of black-cladded men chased after them. Ravishing anyone who got in their way like a pack of hungry wolves, the pursuers attacked the straw hats from all sides. 

They followed from the roofs and inside buildings, clawing at the group whenever they could. Luffy fended off these endless assaults, but he could feel himself losing more and more energy. Chopper, in his reindeer form, carried all their luggage on his back, some loose items fell off during the chase, but they were too distracted to care. 

It felt like the city was built to be confusing. Every turn they made just ended up leading to more twists and corners. It was an endless maze with no direct route out. Nami guided from memory, but she had no idea if she was going the right way. 

Turning a corner, the Straw Hats entered an enclosed inlet and skidded to a stop. A building blocked their path. Towering walls surrounded them, lined with balconies that were connected to rooms. An alleyway rested nearby, but it led nowhere. The only way out was to turn back. The roar of the pursuers’ grew louder. Nami turned around with a panicked face. 

“Dammit, we don’t have time for this,” Luffy muttered under his breath. 

He stretched his arm towards a balcony, his hands almost wrapped around the metal bars, but suddenly, he was yanked into the alley, causing him to fall to the ground, landing right into a puddle. His straw hat fluttered to the ground next to him. Icy water soaked his pants. He looked up with an intense glare. Above him loomed a dark figure donned with a black cloak. 

“Luffy, what are you doing?” Nami harshly whispered as she entered the alley, followed by a confused Usopp and Chopper.

They halted when they saw the man. He stood a few inches taller than the captain, his shoulders broad, a shadow, cast from his hood, covered his facial features, only a slight glint of his brown eyes was visible. On his waist, he wore a black sword with a carved sheath, though, with the poor lighting, they couldn’t see the design. 

“Who are you?” The Straw Hat asked.

Luffy stumbled back onto his feet, water dripped from his legs and onto his sandaled feet. The man brought his finger to his lips. As if he wasn’t supposed to be there, the man's movements were cautious. Luffy began to speak in protest, but, with a swift movement, Nami covered his mouth. Crouching in the shadows, they made no noise as they listened to the mob running past. 

Once their footsteps could no longer be heard, Usopp stood up, knocking over a trash can. It fell with an echoing metallic clash. They froze. A pair of footsteps made their way back to the inlet. 

With a curious expression, a man looked into the alley, but there was nothing there, only dumpsters and trash. He left. 

They all sighed in relief and exited the dumpster they hid in. Nami, now covered in a foul, sticky liquid, looked at Usopp with disgust.

“Good job,” she said sarcastically.

“I’m sorry, it’s not like I meant too.”

Chopper coughed, the rancid smell almost unbearable to his sensitive nose. He tried to cover it up with his hoof, but it did not help much. The stranger attempted to keep a composed face, but his scrunched nose betrayed him. He picked up the fallen hat, dusted it off, and handed it to Luffy.

“You’re looking for that green-haired swordsman, right?”

He talked with a quiet tone, his voice was smooth. The straw hat’s face grew stern and instinctively moved his hands into a fighting position.

“What do you know about Zoro?!” He growled.

The man ignored the question. He patted down his coat, as if he was looking for something, and once he felt a bulbous bump, he pulled out a container. Quickly, he shoved it into Luffy’s hands.

“This will help with your search.”

He stepped back into the dark alley, his body quickly disappeared.

“W-wait!” yelled out Usopp.

He tried to chase after him, but the man was already gone. 

Luffy looked down at the gift. It was a long cylinder, its length similar to a glass bottle, the leather body was spotted with discoloration, showing signs of improper care. On each end was a round cap made of wood.

“What’s in it?” Chopper asked.

They all leaned over Luffy’s shoulder as he popped open the top. An old paper fell out onto the ground. Nami picked it up. She stared at it for a moment, trying to read in the poor light, but as she recognized what she held, her face shone with joy. 

“I-it’s a map!” she excitedly yelled, “It’s a map to a forest!”

\---

Inside a makeshift shack, Law sat on a stool too small for his long legs, drinking bland tea from a chipped cup. The house, if you could call it a house, was made up of metal sheets lousily nailed together and was about the size of a small bedroom. Half of the house was dedicated to a miniature kitchen, comprising a worn table as a counter and a simple burner. In one corner, a mattress laid on the floor, the other had a fanciful dresser, its scratches and chips showing that it had been through a lot of turmoil. In the middle sat a short table where Law resided. Kai was in a chair across from Law, looking at him expectedly. His elbow rested on the table, his hands cupping his small face.

“Do you live here alone?” Law asked, looking around the house.

“No, Ben comes here every couple of weeks,” Kai responded, then added, “Ben’s the one that raised me.”

“Couldn’t he find anything better?” 

“I like it here, in fact I chose this place. Real, fancy homes have never been for me.”

“If you say so.”

There was a break in their conversation. Law brought his teacup to his lips, the cold china felt uncomfortable in the chilly weather. The tea had little flavor, but he still could make out a tinge of mint, but that didn’t matter; the tea was warm, and he was cold.

“Thanks for coming here, I know I kinda dragged you out,” Kai spoke up.

“It's fine.”

“Seriously, in return I’ll help you if you ever need it. I’m really good at getting over priced goods at a discount… or for free.”

“Thanks,” Law mumbled, “I’ll take you up if I need too.”

“So,” the boy began, “you’ve been all over the grand line?”

The surgeon nodded.

“You’re so lucky. I’ve always wanted to see the world, but no one’s allowed to leave the island… well, except the rich.”

“You can’t leave?”.

“Yep, Doflamingo keeps everyone here. That way no one can rat to the navy about him.”

Law was curious. Ever since he stepped on this island, he wondered about its history with Doflamingo. He always kept a close eye on Doflamingo's actions ever since he left their crew, but not once did the name of the island come up. It was the perfect chance to learn, so he continued with his questions. 

“How long has he been here?”

“He first came 7 years ago, I was just a baby, so everything I know is just what I’ve heard about it.” 

Kai shifted in his seat, Law leaned in closer, now interested in the story.

“He brought a huge army with him and conquered the entire island in only a week. Many people died, and they destroyed cities, including my hometown. Apparently, they killed everyone that lived there, even my family. They found me buried under rubble, but no one wanted me, so they left me to die. Then this man came and saved me. He was the one who raised me, but he’s always gone. He says he has work or something. He only comes by every few weeks now.”

Kai looked down at his hands, ending his rambling. His smile now disappeared. Law reached out towards him. He related to the young boy.

“OH! I didn’t bring you here to talk about myself,” he suddenly spoke, causing Law to jump, “Tell me about your adventures!”

Law straightened up and stretched out his legs. His body was sore from sitting down for too long. 

“Want to hear anything in particular?”

“Tell me about the most interesting place you’ve been.”

Taking another sip from the fragile teacup, Law paused for a moment, thinking about his travels. He let out a sigh and told the child tales from his adventures, taking moments for pauses and questions. Kai listened intensely, never taking his eyes away from the surgeon, his excitement contrasting with the calm demeanor of his guest. 

\---

Sanji flopped to the ground and sighed. The hard wooden floor was so dusty that any type of movement would be painted onto it. Stacks of books surrounded him, the fortress almost taller than he. Robin leaned her shoulder against a bookshelf, a book in hand.

“Nothing,” he spoke, “all of these books, and there’s nothing.”

Robin rubbed her furrowed brows and wiped the sweat off of her forehead, leaving a diagonal streak of dust behind. Creases of stress left redden marks on her face.

“This doesn’t make any sense, there’s hardly any information about the history of this island. There should be at least  _ something _ .”

She looked back at the librarian. Still sitting, the librarian slowly slouched further down in her chair. Her cheeks sagged down even further than before. Her body was limp. She looked dead. Robin walked towards the motionless body, her heart fiercely pounding, bumping into a bookcase on her way, causing several books to thump to the ground. The librarian shot up to her feet, her hands shaking.

“You scared me, deary,” her voice trembled.

“Sorry,” Robin muttered, but she was glad to see that she was alive. “Are you sure this is everything?” 

The librarian fell back into her seat. She opened one eye and glanced at the historian. She sat silent for a moment.

“There is  _ one _ more book,” she paused, taking a deep breath, “but I’m not allowed to give it out.”

The two’s eyes widened in shock, Sanji rushed to her side.

“We’ll do anything for that book!” He practically shouted.

The librarian glared at him.

“No need to yell son. I already told you I can’t give it out.”

“Please,” Robin begged, “We need it for our friend.”

“Your friend?” She grinned, showing she was missing most of her teeth, “Fine, I’ll give it to you…. for the right price.”

“How much?’ The pirates said simultaneously.

“Enough to get out of this wretched place.”

She laughed a hearty laugh, leading into a coughing fit. Sanji and Robin looked at each other.

“Fine,” Sanji spoke up, “And how much would that be?”

“I’ll take a million Beris,” she responded in between coughs.

“What?! There’s no way we can pay that much.”

“Ha ha ha, I’m just joking, I’ll take 50,000 Beris.”

Robin reached inside her bag and pulled out a pouch. She dropped it on the counter. It fell with a satisfying thunk, but it hurt the two to watch it go. It was the last of the money that Nami lent them.

“See, that wasn’t too hard.”

She poured out the contents on the counter and counted. After separating the bills and the coins, she was satisfied and handed Robin a thick book. It was amateurishly bounded, heavy and black, with no words on the cover. The pages were thin and from top to bottom, it was covered in words. The edges were frayed and fell apart easily, as though it had been passed down through many hands.

“When Doflamingo took over, almost all books about our history were destroyed, but I was able to save that one.”

Robin skimmed through, flipping through the pages with ease, looking for any mention of a castle.

“Here,” she placed her finger down on a passage, “It talks about a castle being constructed for the first king over 500 years ago, which was passed down generationally. Then, around 200 years ago, there was a civil war, and the castle was left abandoned. There is no other mention of it after that.”

“Does it give any location?” Sanji asked.

Robin continued to look through pages, quickly reading the passages. She paused and looked at Sanji.

“There are some vague directions in the form of a poem, but the only way to follow them is if we start in this ‘glowing emerald forest’ that is mentioned.”

Robin turned to the librarian.

“Do you know how to get to the forest? It doesn’t go into detail anywhere in this book.”

“There are several forests on this island, girl, you’re gonna need to be more specific.”

“Other than that the poem refers to it as the ‘glowing emerald forest’, there are no other specifications.”

“Then I can’t help you there.”

The historian sighed.

“Do you mind if I take this book?”

“Go ahead, I won’t need it anymore.”

Grabbing their things, they quickly left the library. They paused the moment they left the door. Shades of purple and red exploded across the sky. The once grey clouds were now a soft pink. A ball of golden light nestled into the horizon, slowly falling into slumber. The sight was breathtaking. 

“It’s gorgeous,” Robin commented.

“It is.”

It was beautiful, but Sanji’s heart pained. He hoped that Zoro was staring at the same sight, but deep down, something told him that there was no sun, no light, where Zoro was.

They hurried along to the hotel, Robin concealing the book in a bag. By the time they returned, the sun was gone, and the moon took its place. Brooke and Law were already there, sitting in the central room, talking. When the door shut, the two looked at them.

“You’re finally here,” Brooke joked, “I’m so hungry that you can see my bones.”

“I’ll cook something up real quick.”

Sanji rushed to the kitchen, threw on his apron, washed his hands, and began to prepare some food. Robin took a seat with the other two. 

“I’ll start,” began Robin.

She pulled out the book, flipping to the marked page with the poem.

“We found this book that gave vague directions to a castle. I’m assuming it’s the same one that Zoro is in.”

“That’s some splendid news!” Brooke yelled with a smile, “We should head out as soon as possible!”

“There’s a problem with that. The directions start at the entrance of a forest, but we couldn’t figure out which forest.”

“So all we need to do is find out which forest?” Law asked.

“Yep.”

Law looked guiltily down.

“That sounds a lot more productive than me. All I found out was some useless information about Doflamingo’s takeover.”

“What about you, Brooke?” Robin asked.

“I couldn’t find much, but I talked to the locals and-” 

“You were able to speak to the people?” Law interrupted in astonishment.

“Yohohoho, of course, I’m the Soul King.”

“They wouldn’t even glance at me.”

“Obviously, they wouldn-”

“Can we please stay on course?” Robin interrupted.

She looked at them with an annoyed glare with her head resting on her hand.

“Of course,” Brooke coughed, as if clearing his throat, “Anyway, I found out that transportation is extremely expensive here, but we should be fine with the money we have.”

“Actually about that,” Robin paused, looking down at her hands, “we kinda spent all of our money on that book.”

“What?!” Brooke and Law said simultaneously. 

“Don’t yell at Robin. She actually found something out, unlike you guys,” Sanji said while bringing a tray of sandwiches into the room.

“We had no choice, it was the only way,” Robin added

“We can’t pay for another night at the hotel now,” Law commented

“It’s fine, from the sound of it, it seems like we are going to leave tonight.”

“We’ll have to walk wherever we go, there’s no cheap transportation,” Brooke sighed.

They each took a sandwich and began eating. They bounced ideas off of each other, trying to figure the best way to find Zoro. Suddenly, the den den mushi went off. Sanji ran and picked it up before anyone else could even move.

“Hellllllo?” He said, “Ugh, it’s just you, Usopp. I don’t want to talk to you, can you give it to Nami-san?”

Robin yanked the phone from him.

“Sorry bout’ that… really?!... we have some directions too... you know where the forest is?... yea… let me write this down.”

Robin reached over and grabbed a notepad. She wrote whatever Usopp was telling her too, in return, she recited the poem. Once done, she hung up.

“They have a map to a forest.”

She threw down the notepad onto the central table. On it was a rudimentary drawn map.

“It starts from the other town, so we have to head there first. Luffy’s group will head out there first, I gave them the directions that were in the book, Nami should be able to figure them out, so they will reach the castle before we do.”

“How do you know it's the correct forest?” Law asked.

“Some guy told them it would help them find Zoro.”

“It’s going to take us a while since we have to walk,” Sanji said, “We should head out now.”

“Actually,” Law interjected, “I might have a solution to that problem, you guys pack, I’ll be back soon.”

The surgeon rushed out, the rest glanced at each other with a confused look. They quickly packed all their things. The moment they finished, Law came rushing in.

“I got us 2 horses,” he said with a smug look on his face.

“How?!” they all yelled simultaneously.

“That’s a secret.”

They all left, practically running, leaving unnecessary items behind. On the outskirts of the town were two horses. Neatly groomed, their brown coats shone in the moonlight. On their backs were decorated saddles. Law hopped onto the first one and Sanji took the next.

“Robin-chan, come ride with me.”

Robin ignored him and nestled herself behind Law. Brooke joined Sanji.

“Looks like it’s me and you,” Brooke said with a laugh.

Sanji let out a long discontent sigh.

“But I want to be with Robin-chan,”

“Come on, let’s go,” Law said, ignoring the complaints.

Law set off, followed closely by Sanji. Their destination was only a few days away.


	8. The Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fight scenes are hard.

“What should we do?” Usopp whispered.

Crouched behind shrubbery, he pulled back the foliage, making a window to peer through. A few meters away, the famed castle stood. 

It was unlike anything he’s ever seen. Vines crawled up its aged walls, seeping into the cracks of the stones, widening the gaps. The black roof, missing several shingles, steeped in to a point. Scrap wood boarded up the windows on the first few floors, blocking any chance to enter through them. In the center of one wall, there was a wooden door carved with two symmetrical dragons intertwining their tails. It was wide enough to allow a carriage to pass through. Laid across the entrance, a thick wooden bar kept it shut. Broken stones snaked around the building, most of them overtaken by nature, marking where a wall used to stand.

Guards marched along the perimeter, all wearing the same black uniform and a leather belt that secured their weapons. Contrasted against the waves of black, a man, dressed in a complete silver suit of armor, defended the door of the castle. In his hands, he gripped a scythe. The blade glistened in the sun.

“Let’s sneak in,” Nami responded.

She leaned over Usopp, her hair brushing against his cheek, and looked at the same sight. 

“But how? There’s so many people,” Chopper said.

“The back probably has fewer guards. If we walk the perimeter, I bet we could find a weak spot. What do you think, Luffy?”

There was no response.

“Luffy?”

The trio turned to look at their captain, but he was nowhere to be found. Their heads shot towards the castle, and there he was, running straight into the enemy’s arms.

“Dammit, I don’t know what we expected,” Nami said. 

She clutched her weapon and ran out, followed by the others. 

Guards flew in the air with shouts and yelps of confusion as Luffy charged forward, refusing to budge, right to the door. 

Behind him, Nami encountered her first enemy. A sword lashed at her from above. She stepped to the side, dodging the blow, then swung her baton back. It cracked against the attacker’s chest. He dropped to the ground. 

“Kung-fu point!” Chopper yelled.

His body expanded, and he grew in height. In his new form, he flung himself at a group, taking three of them down at once.

Away from the battlefield, Usopp fired barrages of Pop Greens. Plants sprouted up from the ground, clinging onto the attackers, dragging them down to the floor. Their screams muted as leaves consumed them.

With a trail of bodies laid in his path, Luffy reached the man in the suit of armor. He raised his scythe.

“Don’t come any closer or-”

Luffy stretched across and grappled onto the metal shoulders of the armor, ignoring the threat, and brought the man towards him. Momentum collided the man into Luffy’s fist. The scythe flew in the air as he fell onto his back. Luffy sat on top of him and pummeled into the armor. The metal began to cave in.

“Wait!” yelled the armored man, in between gasps and coughs, “Doflamingo wants to speak to you!” 

Luffy ignored him again and continued with his attack.

“Stop!” He moved his hands to cover his chest, “Do you want your crewmate to die!?”

Luffy stopped. With dilated pupils and reddened fists, he grabbed onto the man’s neck, bringing their faces close together.

“What’s this about Zoro?” he asked.

The man pushed Luffy off and stood up. Blood dripped from the flap of his helmet, strengthening his already iron smell. He raised his hand in the air and all the guards halted. Confused, the Straw Hats gaped at them.

“Doflamingo wants to talk to you,” he pointed at Luffy, “Alone.”

His dented helmet muffled his voice. 

“Why should I?”

“That crewmate of yours will die.”

As he talked, he patted down his armor, trying to wipe off the dust and mud that coated its dulled exterior. 

“Fine, I’ll ‘talk’ to him.”

“Good.”

At this, several guards rushed over and lifted the bar that blocked the arched door. It clattered to the ground. The dragon’s tails disconnected as the door creaked open.

Following the armored man, Luffy entered. 

“Wait!” Nami yelled, “It’s obviously a trap!”

She ran towards them, but he turned around, smiled, and said, “You guys stay here, I’ll bring Zoro back.”

The door slammed shut. There was a loud clunk; the bar was put back in place.

Luffy followed the armored guard through a dark corridor, using the light from the cracks of the door to guide them. They ignored the growing darkness as they passed room after room. Luffy’s sandals clopped against the stone floor; the man’s steel boots clanked: the pairs’ footsteps were the only noise. The rain-drenched stone exterior, plus the lack of ventilation, caused the air inside to be musty enough that Luffy could taste a hint of moldy dirt every time he breathed. 

After what felt like hours, they reached the end - an arched wooden door, towering over the two. Luffy’s hand curled into a fist, so tight that it trembled. 

The man pushed it open, revealing a large rectangular room. A long table divided it in half. Three large windows lined against the wall. At the other end of the room, another door, identical to the one Luffy entered, was sealed shut. With the lack of any decor, the room felt eerie. 

Sat at the furthest end of the table, Doflamingo donned a giant smile. A glass of wine rested in his hands. Luffy entered. Behind him, the door slammed.

“You’re finally here!” Doflamingo spoke, his voice quivering with joy, “take a seat.”

He pointed to a chair at the opposite end of the table.

Luffy glared at him and threw a punch. His arm stretched across the room. Doflamingo tilted his head, dodging the blow with little effort.

“Be patient,” he hissed, “Or do you want Roronoa to die?”

Luffy froze, his face contorted with anger, his teeth ground against each other. His hands shook even more. He held his arm, trying to control his urge to fight. 

“Good, now take a seat.”

Luffy sat on the edge of the chair. He focused straight ahead, his eyes dug into Doflamingo.

“Let’s get into business,” Doflamingo began.

The Shichibukai’s body relaxed in his extravagant chair. His head leaned back, as if it bore him to be there. He rested one of his arms on the armrest and tapped, with a constant tempo, his middle finger on the wooden surface. 

_ Tap. Tap. Tap. _

The high ceilings of the room amplified the sound. Watching the scene from the windows, the sun lightened up the room, highlighting half of Doflamingo’s face, leaving the other side to the shadows.

_ Tap. Tap. Tap. _

He waved his other hand in the air, and a servant rushed to Luffy’s side. She handed him a glass of red wine, then rushed out.

“Drink.”

_ Tap. _

Luffy looked at the glass. He threw it at the ground. It shattered and the thick liquid lapped across the wooden floor.

“Where’s Zoro?”

_ Tap. _

“Do you  _ really _ want to see him?”

_ Tap. _

“Yes.”

_ Tap. _

“If that’s what you want.”

Doflamingo excitedly clenched the armrest, stopping his incessant tapping. A sadistic grin cracked across his face. He shifted further in his seat, the light of the sun reflected off of his glasses and right into Luffy’s eyes. 

He let out a long, sharp whistle. It pierced Luffy’s ears. The back doors flung open. A figure stepped forward, its deformed silhouette looked animalistic. Luffy went on guard, prepared to fight, but as it walked into the light, he realized it was him - the one he had been looking for.

Although it’s only been a week since Luffy saw him in that carriage, the man in front of him didn’t even look like the same person. Fitted in an unbuttoned dress shirt, like the one Luffy last saw him wearing in Dressrosa, and a pair of black pants, he drifted forward. A collar wrapped around his neck, so tight that the surrounding skin bulged. His sloth movements were clumsy, and he walked with a limp. 

He passed by a window, entering its light, showing his pale green skin molded around his bones. Every rib could be counted, every bump on his spine was sharp enough to slice through butter, every step he took caused his joints to visibly move. Covering his chest, scars and untreated cuts, some of them oozing yellow pus, contrasted against his complexion. A thick odor of decay permeated from his body. 

His silver eye, darkened with a tinge of mascara, had no life, and his cheeks, dyed an unnatural red, sunk into his face. He looked at Luffy. For a moment, their eyes made contact. Then the swordsman looked at his ragged bare feet. 

“Zoro!” Luffy shouted.

He tried to run towards the swordsman, but Luffy collapsed. His entire body trembled, but this time, not out of anger. He stared at the figure. His chest burned. He couldn’t breathe. 

“Ah-h, Zo-, unh, ro,” he couldn’t talk.

A tear tickled his cheek as it fell down and landed onto his clenched hand with a splash.

“Fufufufufu! What’s wrong?! I thought you wanted to see your swordsman!”

Luffy stayed still.

“C’mon he’s right here for you to take!”

Doflamingo continued his taunts.

“Fine, if you don’t want him, I’ll take him. Watch this, I trained him pretty well.”

He shifted his attention to Zoro.

“Come,” Doflamingo demanded.

Zoro moved to Doflamingo’s side, close enough for his hand to brush against Doflamingo’s arm. Doflamingo grabbed his shoulder and positioned him in between his thighs. He crept his lanky hands around Zoro’s waist, his head rested in the crevice on Zoro’s shoulder. 

“You want your swordsman and I want you dead, so I have a proposition.”

As he talked, his warm breath swept against Zoro’s neck. Luffy glared at him with tear-filled eyes.

“We will fight, just us two, no interventions from any side. If you win, you can take your swordsman.”

He moved his hands up and down the swordsman’s chest, Zoro continued to stare at his feet. The Shichibukai grazed the swordsman’s neck with his lips. 

“And if I win, I get to kill you all,” he paused for a moment, “Except Zoro… I’ll keep him.”

Luffy took a deep breath. He pushed himself onto his feet and wiped the tears from his eyes. 

“How is that a proposition? I was gonna fight you anyways.”

“Well, I could’ve killed you without a fight. I’m being nice, I’m giving you a chance.”

Luffy took another deep breath and grinned.

“As if.”

He flung his fist towards Doflamingo’s face. The Shichibukai lifted his forearm, blocking the blow.

“Fufuffufufu, splendid,” Doflamingo smiled.

He brought the wineglass to his mouth, chugging the rest of it. In a fluid motion, he pushed Zoro into the table - the swordsman banged his hip against it - and launched at Luffy. 

Catching the straw hat off guard, Doflamingo punched him in the solar plexus, hard. Luffy collapsed back onto the ground. White light consumed his vision. He coughed up blood. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


\---

Nami, Usopp, and Chopper huddled together on the edge of the forest, still in sight of the building. Even more men lined against the walls, monitoring the group. 

“What now?” Usopp asked.

“We have to help him,” Nami responded.

“But there’s a bunch of those guards,” Chopper said.

They lifted their heads and stared at the castle. A guard scowled at them, shifting his weapon in his hands. They snapped their heads back downwards.

“It’s weird that they’ve just been watching us.”

“Maybe they’re waiting for orders?” Usopp added.

“Yeah, maybe, but we can’t sit around and wait,” Nami began, “There’s 40...50 people out right now. We could take them, but…” 

“We have to worry about the people inside,” Usopp finished.

Chopper gulped.

“We don’t have much of a choice, we need to save Zoro.”

“Okay, then it’s decided,” Nami said.

They broke their huddle.

“This is nothing, I’ve fought giants before. I can defeat these guards, but that’d be unfair to you guys,” Usopp said.

“Really!?” Chopper exclaimed.

Usopp nodded with a grin. Chopper continued to praise him, but Nami blocked it out. She glanced at Usopp. His hand gripped his Kuro Kabuto so tight that his knuckles were pale. She stared at her own hands; they were trembling. She thought back to her battle on Dressrosa, and how much she, Chopper, and Brooke struggled to take just one of the family members, and now with fewer people, they had to fight them all over again. Nami sighed. 

“What’s wrong?” Chopper asked.

“Ah, nothing. Come on and stop messing around, we have to hurry.” 

Standing next to each other in a line, they walked towards the castle. The guards prepared their weapons in defense.

“Stop!” One shouted, “If you come any closer, we will attack.”

They ignored him and continued their path. One guard raised his sword, another loaded his gun. Nami and Usopp lifted their weapons, Chopper transformed into his Kung Fu point form. The guards were ready to strike on command. Right before the two parties clashed, the door opened. 

“Stop,” A voice said.

Although the command was quiet, everyone froze - even the Straw Hats. 

“Put your weapons away.”

The guards listened, and each drew back their weapons. As the man stepped out into the light, his gaze pierced into the three Straw Hats. He was handsome and wore a suit. Gelled back, his brown hair shone in the sun. But what made him stand out was his intimidating presence.

Chopper raised his nose in the air. It wiggled as he sniffed. Nami grabbed Usopp by the arms and held him in front of her. 

“Go ahead ‘giant slayer’, this guy is nothing, right?”

“Ah-h you see, I’m not feeling too well, so-o you got this.”

He tried to wiggle out of Nami’s grasp, but she held strong. The man walked towards them.

“I’ll handle this,” he said, “you guys go inside.”

The guards saluted.

“Yes, sir!” they shouted in unison.

They filed into the castle as the man drew nearer to the crew. 

“Do-don’t come any closer! If-f you do, I will have to attack.”

Usopp hid his face behind his weapon. His arms shook. 

“Attack? Go ahead,” he pulled out a cigarette from his coat pocket and lit it, “but I suggest you hear me out first.”

The Straw Hats shared a glance, then looked at him. 

“Hear you out?” Nami asked, “About what?”

“I don’t want to fight,” He took a drag from the cigarette, “In fact, I want to help.” 

As he exhaled, a trail of smoke rose. Even though the smoke waltzed away, the toxic smell hung in the air. A flash of anger overcame Nami, and she released Usopp from her grip.

“Help?! Why should we believe you?”

“Because I have already helped you.”

“How?” Usopp asked while he rubbed his sore arms.

“I got rid of all the guards.”

He stretched out his arm, directing their attention to the empty area.

“All you did was send them inside, we still have to deal with them later,” Nami said.

“True, but they’re nothing.”

Nami glared at him.

“You’re just trying to distract us.”

“I do want to help.”

The man smiled. His brown eyes softened, making it harder to not believe him.

“Wait!”

Chopper’s shout brought everyone’s attention to him. 

“The moment you stepped out, you smelt familiar. It took me a while to figure it out, but aren’t you the guy who gave us the map?”

“Yes.”

“Huh?!” Usopp and Nami shouted.

Their eyes widen in shock. Usopp stared at Chopper, then the man, then Chopper again. 

“See, I told you I wanted to help.”

“Why didn’t you start with that?” Nami asked.

“You kept on being aggressive.”

He took another drag, blowing the smoke at them. 

“Of course we’re aggressive! You’re with the enemy.”

“Just because I’m with them doesn’t mean I want to be.”

“What does that mean?” Usopp asked.

“We don’t have time for details, but being one of Doflamingo’s dogs isn’t exactly my favorite thing.”

He dropped his cigarette butt on the ground. He stomped on it, smothering any flames beneath his heel. 

“My name is Ben,” he extended his hand out, “and I want you guys to take down Doflamingo.”

Nami looked at Chopper, he nodded. Then she looked at Usopp. He hesitated before nodding. She grasped the hand and shook.

“Fine, we’ll team up... for now.”

\---

“Fufufufu, I never thought you’d be this stupid!” Doflamingo shouted.

Before him, Luffy laid on the ground. Blood oozed from the myriad of cuts that littered his body. To get back onto his feet, he leaned on his arm, but he collapsed under his own weight. 

“You couldn’t defeat me before - and you had help from Law! What makes you think you can win now?!”

Doflamingo pulled his leg back in preparation to kick. He released it at full power. Just before his foot reached the straw hat’s stomach, he stopped. The world spun, and he fell to the floor. Luffy crawled back onto his feet.

“You’re still hurt from our last fight,” he spat out blood, “I will defeat you.”

He looked at his arm. Its tanned color turned silver. He brought his mouth to it, the taste of his own blood tinged his tongue, and secured his lips. He blew. His arm grew in size, then his body, and soon he towered over the Shichibukai. On his chest, metallic swirls danced with his tan skin. His body began to bounce. Every time he hit the floor, the ground shook. 

“Gear Four,” he said.

Zoro watched them fight. On his hip, a black bruise grew from when he hit the table, matching the rest of his damaged body. A glint from under the table caught his eye. Shards of glass rested on the floor, surrounded by red liquid. He walked over and picked up the biggest piece. He looked back at the fight. The two men were tangled together. Even when his captain was cut, or his captor punched, he felt empty.

  
  
  



	9. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays! I know this is called "The End", but there's still one more chapter. I've already started on it, so it should be up soon.

Large spires, their crumbling bodies being eaten by time, poked through the roof of the forest. They looked peculiar surrounded by the lush greenery, with their pointed metal tips, sharp enough to pierce the sky. Sanji studied them as they flashed through gaps of branches. It felt like they were warning him of the dangers ahead. His stomach churned, and a terrible dread enshrouded him. He ignored it and tightened his grasp on the reins, speeding up his horse to keep up with the couple in front of him. Mud splattered everywhere, but Sanji didn’t care, he wanted to reach his destination as soon as possible.

Dew collected on the leaves above, and with the vibrations of the intruders, trickled, showering the group in light rain. Silence crowded the woods, having no birds in sight, or even the slight buzzing of an insect, as if every animal’s instinct cried at them to avoid the area.

After hours of riding, the leading horse skidded to a stop. Sanji jerked the reins using all of his strength, just avoiding a collision.

“What’s happening?”

“We’re going on foot from here,” Law answered.

“Huh? But why?”

“We don’t want to give away our location,” Robin said.

Law hopped off his stallion, its once shiny coat now painted with grime, extended his hand to Robin, and she grasped it, using it as a crutch to dismount. Jealous, Sanji glared at them and shifted out of his saddle, splashing into a puddle.

“Are you going to help me too? Brooke asked.

He held his boney hand out, but Sanji walked right by, tying the horse to a tree.

“How rude,” Brooke mumbled.

Ducked under bushes, climbing over protruded roots, and stepping around flowers, the group inched closer to the old building. The aroma of the damp earth and the smell of a rotting log, mixed with the hint of rain-soaked mushrooms, filled the air. It was pleasant, almost enough to calm the group’s jittering nerves.

At the border between the castle and forest, they stopped, and through a gap of leaves, Law peeked. 

“It’s empty, there’s not a single guard.”

Sanji nudged closer to Law, trying to see as well.

“You’re right.”

With her eyes closed, Robin crossed her arms, and sweat bathed her forehead as she concentrated. Spotted along the castle walls, brown eyes peered around every corner and looked for hiding spots among the tree.

“It’s completely empty outside,” she said.

“Did we come to the wrong place?”

“No, this should be it.”

Brooke stood. The leaves that gathered in his lap fluttered to the ground.

“There’s no point in just sitting around and talking, let’s go.”

He walked towards the entrance, followed by Sanji.

“Wait! We should come up with a plan,” Law yelled.

The two ignored his pleas and continued to near the building. Robin gave him a kind smile, knowing that their spontaneity was still foreign to him.

“C’mon,” she said.

Law shook his head with slight disappointment and followed the group. Sanji reached the door first. With the palm of his hand, he tapped it, using little strength, and it creaked open.

“That was easier than expected,” he said.

As they entered, a gust of icy air brushed past the group, blasting them with a pungent smell, filled with mildew and filth, and thick enough to suffocate them.

Almost impossible to see through, the darkness latched onto them and robbed them of any comfort they had, instead injecting them with vile anxiety. Nobody else was in the empty room, and the silence was painful, making their trepidation even worse. Robin shivered.

“I don’t like this.”

Her voice bounced off the stone walls, spiraling onward into the hollow hallways attached. The endless noise warped until it sounded as if the castle was moaning in pain. 

“Something's wrong,” Brooke said.

Law crept further in, his back against the wall, straying from the center.

“It’s probably a trap, everyone stay alert.”

As soon as the words left Law’s mouth, the entire building shook, followed by a loud clatter of stones. The group grappled onto the wall, trying to keep themselves upright. The shaking stopped, and they sighed in relief. Sunlight poured from a newly made hole in the roof and lightened up the area.

“What was that?” Brooke asked, “It made my bones rattle.”

“Luffy,” Robin said, trying to keep her composure, “It was probably Luffy.”

“That idiot’s going to break this place,” Sanji said.

“C’mon, let’s hurry and help,” Law said.

He ran into a hall, followed by the others, in the commotion's direction. The building continued to tremor in waves, with the sound of stones and clattering furniture encircling them. Every step took everything they had to keep standing. The hall twisted and turned as if it was an endless maze, having no signs of ever getting closer to the clamor. Sanji slowed his pace.

“What’s wrong? We have to keep going,” Brooke asked.

“I was trying to conserve energy, but this is taking too much time.”

He kicked a wall, shattering the stones, and entered. It led him to a dusty room, filled with decrepit cobwebs, broken furniture, and a crate of rotten food. It was as if no living soul entered it in centuries. 

Sanji laughed, allowing dust to enter his lungs, causing him to cough.

“This will be faster,” he said between coughs.

He continued to make his own path with the others trailing behind him. Several broken walls later, they entered another hallway.

Robin stopped.

“This is weird. We haven't seen anyone yet.”

“I agree. Even though we weakened Doflamingo in Dressrosa, hundreds of loyal minions still follow and revere him. We should have encountered at least one person,” Law responded.

“Maybe-”

A door slammed, interrupting Brooke. At the end of the hall, a man stood, dressed in black. The group stared at him; he stared at the group. Before anyone could speak, Sanji rushed towards the man, kicking his face with every bit of his strength. He yelped in pain as he buckled to the stone ground. They all recognized the cry, as they’ve heard it countless times before. 

“U-Usopp!” Robin yelled.

She rushed to the fallen man, followed by the rest of the group. Blood dripped from his crooked nose, his hand twitched in pain, and tears brimmed his eyes. It was no doubt him - their sharpshooter. 

A woman, also dressed in black, rushed through the door, followed by two others. 

“Usopp! What happened!?” Nami yelled.

They looked at each other, and for a moment, none could speak.

“Namiiii,” Sanji yelled, being the first one to break the silence, “I've missed you so much!” 

He bolted to her side, but she put her hand up, keeping him away.

“Oh, it’s you guys!”

Her face brimmed with joy, and her eyes revealed how relieved she was to be with her allies once more.

“What’s happening? Where is everyone? Where is Doflamingo?”

Law’s barrage of questions ended with him hissing Doflamingo’s name with disgust. 

“First, who is that?” Robin asked.

She pointed to Ben, who was trying to hide behind the group. He gave them a slight wave and shifted his feet, not knowing what to say. 

“That’s Ben. He kinda betrayed Doflamingo, and now he’s been helping us.”

Law jolted as he recognized the name, but kept silent, not knowing if it was the same person. The others became defensive. 

“How can we trust him?”

“He got us these disguises and took us to Zoro's cell. We can trust him.”

“Zoro?!” Brooke yelled, “Where is he?”

He searched behind the group, expecting to see him.

“He… wasn’t there.”

“What does that mean?”

Filled with hesitance, Ben stepped forward, taking the lead of the group.

“There was a room where they kept him prisoner, but he wasn’t there. I suppose Doflamingo took him away,” he said.

“So where is he?”

“No clue,” Nami responded, “But the shaking might have something to do with him.”

Right on cue, the building trembled once more. Robin and Brooke leaned against the wall. Nami, Ben, and Sanji held onto the door, while Chopper clung to Nami’s leg. Law stood still, able to keep upright without help. Right above Robin, Ben watched as the stones that made the roof shifted. He ran over and pushed her out of the way, right before they rained down, falling on the spot where she once stood.

“Thanks,” Robin said as the shaking stopped. 

She pushed herself off the floor and rubbed the dust off her hands, her breathing still panicked.

She pushed herself off the floor and rubbed the dust off her hands.

Ben nodded, his heart pounding from the close call. On the floor, Usopp groaned while he opened his eyes. He shot to his feet.

“Why d'you kick me?!” He yelled, glaring at Sanji.

“I thought you were an enemy,” Sanji responded. 

“Enemy?! Do I look like the enemy?”

Sanji nodded. Usopp looked at his clothes.

“Oh, I, uh, forgot.”

“Speaking of enemies,” Robin began, trying to change the subject, “Where is everyone?”

“You’re the first people we’ve seen,” Brooke said.

“They’re gone,” Ben responded, “Doflamingo’s abandoning this place. Most of his lackeys left for their new base.”

“Th-then is Zoro gone too?”

“No, he’s still here.”

“How do you know that?”

Unable to make eye-contact, Ben looked at his scarred and worn hands. 

“I was Zoro’s ‘guard’. I was the one who’s supposed to take him to the next place.”

His voice was meek, but his words were still refined.

“You were with Zoro and didn’t help him!?” Sanji yelled.

He yanked Ben’s collar, bringing their faces close. Ben looked into Sanji’s anger-filled eyes, and his gnawing guilt churned his stomach. 

“Yes, but I didn’t have a choice.”

“You didn't have a choice!? There’s always a choice!”

Nami grabbed Sanji’s arm and tried to pull him away, but Sanji would not budge.

“Calm down! Hear him out first.”

“Yeah, just hear him out,” a foreign voice mocked.

Dellinger stood at the end of the hall, a box in hand, and his eyebrows furrowed. Next to him, Trebol glared at the group, clenching his staff with white knuckles.

“Looks like we got a traitor on our hands.”

“Behehehee, I guess we should deal with this problem,” Trebol responded.

They grinned, then charged. They were fast, almost impossible to track as they grew closer.

Dellinger flung himself at Nami, and she screamed, shielding herself with her arms. Sanji rushed over and intercepted him with a kick, throwing him into the wall. Dellinger stood up, with no mark or bruise, and smiled.

“So, you also like to kick?”

Sanji ignored him and attacked again. Dellinger blocked the blow with another kick. The destructive battle led them out of the hallway and into a large room. 

Trebol stopped his charge when he saw Law. The memories of the last battle flashed through his head and he stepped back, turned around, and bolted away. 

A transparent dome appeared around him, and he and Law switched places.

“You can’t leave. Not yet,” Law grinned, “We need some  _ help _ .”

\---

Sweat, dyed a disgusting red, trickled down Luffy’s face and fell right into his eyes, blinding him. He wiped it off using his forearm, but the burning sensation, caused by the salted mixture, still clouded his vision. He waited as he bounced in place; the ground shaking beneath him every time he made contact. Steam rose from his body, swirling and dancing into the air, bending to his movements. Through squinted eyes, he followed Doflamingo’s unpredictable movements with the nimble silhouette blurring into the background as it grew ever nearer. 

He took a deep breath, bracing himself, and concentrated every bit of his strength into one blow. He pulled his fist back, compressing it into his arm, and released. The punch stretched across the room like a cannonball with endless momentum, but Doflamingo dodged it, the fist brushing by his cheek, and it struck into the wall, leaving a large hole. Doflamingo flung a string in retaliation. Luffy jumped out of the way, and the string cracked against the roof, creating a giant, but precise fracture in the stone. 

Both men threw blow after blow - some of them making contact and others missing. The room shook and trembled with every attack. The windows, table, and an extensive section of the roof were left broken. Above them, the fiery sun shined, enjoying their fierce duel. 

Luffy stumbled back, trying his hardest to stay conscious. His body felt numb. He knew if he wanted to win, he had to do it now, before he lost too much energy and he reverted to his original form, or else there would be no other chance.

Doflamingo was in no better shape. He panted hard, cupping his hand to his chest, trying to stop the blood flowing from a large wound stricken across his breast. Luffy took a step back and prepared his last charge. 

“Y’know something funny?” Doflamingo said between gasps, “For a while, I thought you forgot about that swordsman. It took you so long to get here, I just assumed you abandoned him.”

Luffy charged, filled with more anger than ever. They collided.

“I bet Zoro assumed the same thing.”

Luffy increased the speed of his punches. Doflamingo followed.

“Every night he’d cry, ‘Luffy! Luffy! Luffy!’ again and again, hoping you’d rescue him, but guess what, you never did!”

Luffy stiffened, and Doflamingo landed a hard blow against his stomach. Air poured from his mouth, causing his body to shrink just a bit. Luffy ignored it and continued to fight with ferocity, but continuously, Doflamingo hit him with precise strikes. Luffy, now his original size, staggered back and collapsed to the ground. He tried to stand up, but his legs refused to listen to him. Every movement pricked with pain. A pool of blood gathered around his supine body, coloring his clothes a deep sanguine, and lapped across the dusty floor. 

“And even if you save him, he’ll never go back to normal. No matter how many times he will try, he can never forget. His  _ body  _ can never forget.”

His inescapable laughter pealed around the room and pierced Luffy’s ears. Torpid footsteps clucked closer to Luffy.

“Move,” he said to himself, “Dammit, just move!”

The footsteps stopped and Doflamingo leaned by Luffy’s side. His body, covered in cuts and wounds, moved sluggishly, and his flickering tongue spat with each word. 

“There’s no one to help you now, Straw Hat. No one to help you hide. Well, it doesn’t matter now - Zoro is mine.”

He pulled back his arm, aiming his hand right at Luffy’s heart. Luffy closed his eyes and prepared himself for the next moment - his death.

“Sorry, Zoro,” he whispered.

Solace mixed with remorse washed over him. Never in his life had he ever feared death nor had he ever regretted a choice he’s made, but just this once, if he had the chance to turn back the clock and save Zoro, he would take it in a heartbeat. 

“Goodbye Straw Hat Luffy!”

An agonizing second went by, then another - Luffy waited and waited for the impending blow, but it never came. He cracked his eyes open.

A shard of glass poked from Doflamingo’s neck. Like a skyscraper in an empty field, it looked so foreign protruding from the man’s skin, Luffy had to blink twice to check if it was really there. It was, and the blood bubbling and gurgling from the deep wound, with a strong metallic scent, was really there as well. 

The man’s body shook, then collapsed onto Luffy. It was heavy.

Zoro stood above him, frozen, with wide eyes and quivering hands stained with blood. His lacerated lips, which were thoroughly bitten through, only parted to let his heavy breaths escape. Zoro stumbled back, a look of terror painted across his face, then crumbled to the ground. 


	10. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After one long year, we finally reached the conclusion of Donquixote’s Sanctuary. Thank you guys for being patient with me and always being supportive. If you haven’t already, please (I’m begging you) check out Beware_The_Tristero’s The Heavenly-Demon’s Bargain.  
> And as always, please enjoy :)

Zoro’s eye shot open, his body bursting with miserable pain, and his heart racing. It was dim, but the light still pierced his head. He blinked rapidly, and with an unfocused gaze, he studied the room: A shack, a falling roof, a small table in the middle, and a child sat facing away from him, devouring a plate of food. His adrift mind raced - he couldn’t think; everything hurt too much. He laid on a mattress, tucked in with a ragged quilt. It was tight; suffocating. He sat up. The boy looked at him with dilated pupils and a glowing face.

“You’re awake!” He shouted.

He rushed outside, his legs trembling, knocking over the plate, yelling and shouting. A moment went by before the Straw Hats flooded into the room. Tears, laughter, smiles - Zoro’s head throbbed even more. They talked at once, their voices grating upon one another as they crowded around him.

“He can’t understand what you're saying if you all yell,” a voice said.

It was clear, concise, and all too familiar to Zoro. He turned his head. A man leaned against the door frame. It was him - one of his torturers. Sweat broke upon his forehead, his body enshrouded in a burning chill, and his hand tremored. A forceful weight pressed on his chest and he wanted to scream, but no noise escaped his quivering lips. His breaths grew heavy. Chopper watched Zoro’s facial expression morph into one of terror.

“Everyone out!” He yelled, “He needs his space.”

Chopper sounded so panicked, that no one questioned his orders, not even Luffy. They left the building, leaving Chopper alone with Zoro.

“That was stupid of us,” Nami said, “We need to be more careful.”

She took a seat under the shade of a tree, followed by Robin and Franky, and rubbed her temples. No one responded, but the awkward glances they exchanged said it all - they had to be more cautious.

Luffy wandered towards a field. He looked out to the horizon and, although a splint held his arm and bandages wrapped around his chest, his face glowed. The endless blue sky looked like the ocean, with no cloud in sight, and the setting sun like a pearl nestled into the mouth of a clam. A small breeze blew and the odor of sweet pollen filled the air. Luffy enjoyed every second. Everything was perfect. A smile cracked upon his face. Everything would go back to normal - he just knew it. 

“I wonder what happened to the rest of Doflamingo’s crew,” Brooke said.

He spoke to Usopp, away from the group. Usopp shrugged and rubbed his bruised face.

“Who knows, but with the death of Doflamingo and the defeat of Trebol and Dellinger, I’d assume they’d disband.”

“Yohohoho, I’d love to see that with my own eyes… wait, I don’t have any eyes!”

Brooke peeled over with laughter. Usopp rolled his eyes, but inside, he relaxed, happy that they could crack jokes once more. 

Back under the tree, loud childish shouts distracted them. As if they were branches, Kai hung from Franky’s arms.

“Do it… do it again!” He yelled.

“Alrighty, you ready for this!”

Franky pressed his nose and held it.

“One… two… three.”

Hair popped from his scalp, forming into a ship. Kai fell to the floor, laughing. A slight smile struck across Robin’s face as she watched the two. Still gasping, Kai stood.

“Big bro, you’re so awesome…”

“I know!”

“So, why didn’t you go with them to help your friend?”

“Someone had to watch the ship,” Nami responded.

“That’s so cool! I’ve always wanted to go on a ship, especially a pirate ship.”

“You can see Sunny before we leave.”

“Huh?! Really?”

Franky nodded. They continued to talk, too excited to keep calm.

Sanji leaned against the shack, standing next to Law and Ben, and lit a cigarette. 

“Want one?” He asked.

He held out the cardboard pack towards them, flicking two cigarettes so they protruded. Ben took one and placed it in his mouth. He began searching through his coat, looking for his lighter.

“I don’t smoke,” Law responded.

“I know, but sometimes, everyone needs a smoke.”

Law chuckled. Sanji pulled out his lighter and lit Ben’s cigarette. He nodded in thanks.

“I’m fine. Thanks for the offer.”

Law and Sanji turned their attention to Ben, who was staring at Kai playing with the others.

“You were protecting him, right?”

Ben nodded.

“We’re from the same village. I thought I was the only survivor until I learned about Kai. I couldn't abandon him, so I took him in. Money’s hard to get around here - especially if you were one who fought against Doflamingo. In order to give Kai the best life, I had no choice but to join Doflamingo.”

As he spoke, he gripped the sword on his waist, the intertwined dragons reminding him of a time long past.

“I’m sorry,” Sanji responded, “for the way I treated you earlier.”

“No, I’m sorry. I could have helped your friend but.. but I let him suffer.”

Ben’s hands shook. In the distance, Kai gawked at Franky’s transformations. 

“He… he escaped, and I brought him back… to that hellhole.”

Sanji took a long drag of his cigarette and blew out the smoke. He placed a hand on Ben's shoulder.

“You were just trying to protect what you care about.”

Kai came running towards them, and grabbed Ben’s hand, dragging him towards Franky.

“Come watch this!” He yelled.

Ben looked back at Sanji, and Sanji grinned at him.

“So you forgive him?” Asked Law.

“It’s not up to me. Zoro is the only one who can forgive.”

Kai jumped into Ben’s arms, his face gleaming with joy. The two looked away, not wanting to stare, only to see Luffy come up to them with a serious face. 

“I’m sorry,” Luffy said, “I know you really wanted to fight Doflamingo.”

Law chuckled. 

“ As much as I wanted to kill him myself, I'm…”  he thought of Corazon, the countless people murdered, the pain Doflamingo caused, “just glad that he can’t hurt anyone else.”

Chopper exited the shack, stealing everyone’s attention. They crowded around him and questions poured from their mouths. Chopper held up his hand, hushing the group, and his eyes cast towards the ground.

“You guys can come in, just… just be gentle.”

His serious voice mellowed out the group. Kai charged in, but Ben yanked him by the shoulder.

“Let’s stay out.”

Kai nodded. Law stayed behind with the two while the others entered the shack. Chopper was the last one to enter, his eyes still fixed at the ground.

The stagnant air made it feel like the world froze over and no one spoke a word. A small wind rattled the walls as Luffy approached the bed, a grin painted on his face. His quiet steps were hesitant.

Zoro looked at him. His face made no emotion, not even a twitch of his lips or the flicker of an eye. Luffy gulped and his hand fiddled with the waist of his shorts.

“Hey Zoro,” he said, “I have something for you.”

He pulled out a sword he was hiding behind his back. The gold accents of its handle reflected in the light, and the white of the sheath seemed like it was polished over and over again. It was his sword; Kuina’s sword. The corner of Zoro’s mouth twitched. His arm had a slight tremble as he reached out for it. Luffy placed the sword in Zoro’s hand, his eyes twinkling. The others watched with held breaths.

Luffy let go of the handle. It was heavy; too much for Zoro’s boney arm. He dropped it. He said nothing; he didn’t even flinch. While Zoro stared at it, not even attempting to pick it up, it hit them. 

Zoro would let no harm come to the Wado Ichimonji. He might have been neglectful at times, and he might have cared little for his belongings, but that sword meant everything to him, and he would let nothing happen to it. 

Chopper bit his quivering lip, trying to prevent tears from falling down his cheeks, and tugged at Nami’s sleeve. He knew, but couldn’t speak. Nami looked at his broken face. Snot poured down and his entire body shook.

A sob broke from Nami. She covered her mouth, trying to silence her tears, but her cries broke through. She knew.

The others were silent, unmoving, thoughtless: they knew.

As Luffy stared at Zoro and his bandaged, bruised, tortured body, Doflamingo’s words rang in his mind. He knew.

His smile washed away.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m going to be franker down here. I kinda fell out of love with the story a long time ago. It never felt like my own, because it was never my own. I totally ripped off the story, and I feel terrible about it. Like I said in the first chapter, this was my first fanfiction, and also one of the first times I took writing ‘seriously’. I had no idea what I was doing, and it’s prevalent throughout the story. If it wasn’t obvious, I had no plan and made everything as I got there, which is why there are a bunch of plot holes and inconsistencies. I’m honestly surprised I could reach a lukewarm conclusion.   
> But this story helped me learn a lot about writing, and I will build upon this experience in the future. One day, I might come back and rewrite this entire story, and make it my own, with a consistent, non-confusing, plot lol  
> If you guys like tortured/hurt/abused Zoro or Darkfics in general, I have a bunch planned, so keep your eyes peeled.  
> And seriously, thank you for putting up with me, and continuing to read Donquixote’s Sanctuary. I truly am grateful for you guys (like y’all have no idea, I don’t think I could have completed it without you) <3


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